An Irrigation Dam

-click to enlarge-

It's a quick shot; I captured it from a moving car. The irrigation dam distributes some water of Songgom River (Songgom Village, Central Java, Indonesia) to irrigate rice fields around.

The Weekend in Black and White

A Guide to Caring for the Elderly at Home

Caring for the elderly at home does not need to uproot your lifestyle and become a huge burden. Looking after the elderly is much like looking after yourself and the needs are the same with some variations. Caring for any person, whether a child, or an adult, can be tedious, stressful, costly and worrisome, but it does not need to be this way. There are plenty of home nursing agencies that will be able to augment the care that you give your loved one and ease some of the pressure without a huge financial burden.

How to prepare for aged care
Elderly care does not require a drastic change of lifestyle. The things you will need for your home are much like those which are required for a baby but in larger sizes. Depending on the needs of the family member, there are different levels of help that can be arranged and organised for day to day support.

Elderly care often requires medical safety beds, and other specialised equipment. The processes of care are often very similar but elderly care comes with a level of understanding and response that will ease the processes infinitely. Tedium and frustration with aged care often comes in at this point when elderly individuals refuse to do things that they don’t want to or play the ‘I’m your elder card’ try and take control.

Preventing ‘burnout’
Caring for an elderly patient can be very trying and monotonous so it is very important to be able to take a break. In many cases this is simply not possible and the lack of holidays and contact with the outside world can make the process unbearable. To avoid this situation it is important to have multiple caregivers who are able to relieve you of care duty so that you can still get out and enjoy your life. Seeking professional nursing care or enlisting other family members to help with the care will enable you to take these necessary breaks and make the process all the more bearable.

How you care effects functionality
The way in which you care for elderly patients will affect their overall functionality. If for example you live in a two story house, then you may need to install a stair lift to enable them to access the entire house. Most showers will need to be adapted to have non-slip floors and safety rails to prevent falls in the shower. Whilst these expenses may seem preventative, it will allow you to commit less to the care process as the elderly person can achieve things by themselves.

Care needs to be household wide
Whilst not everyone in the house will necessarily be providing care to the elderly person, it is important that they all know what to do in certain situations. Just as one would prepare for fire safety, it is equally important to prepare for an emergency of many kinds. Alzheimer’s and Dementia can prevent elderly people from recognising their own family and cause them to panic. In these cases it is important that everyone knows what to do, regardless of their status as a caregiver.

Affordable Viewership with Direct TV

Earlier the television waves were analog that were transmitted to your television. The quality of viewing was not that good. TV programming at that point in time was relatively new and therefore had very low expectations. But, in modern times, technology has advanced dramatically, and with the development of digital waves, satellite TV and The direct TV service has taken over the TV entertainment industry.

One of the main attractive features of Direct TV is that the service is an affordable one. This becomes evident when you compare Direct TV to other cable TV providers. The satellite TV industry is highly competitive which forced the prices to decline until it became easy for any family to manage and the common man to own a connection. Direct TV offers you the most affordable, reliable, and versatile option for your TV entertainment services.

The digital video recorder is one of the popular devices of direct TV. This device allows you to digitally record and store up to seventy hours of your favorite programming directly on to the hard drive of your receiver. With a DVR you can also record one show simultaneously while watching another. This is an ideal option for people who miss their favorite shows because if their busy schedule.

Direct TV is the place where you get all the latest in home entertainment, with complete package for the entire family. You can take advantage of great offers and subscription packages at your choice. It has terrific deals are available for a limited time, with affordable monthly fees and free upgrades. Direct TV is the end of your search for the best home entertainment.

Direct TV is a satellite television service company that prides itself in being one of the most subscribed television company in the entire country. With over 15 million viewers tuning in to programs provided by DirecTV, you can imagine how affordable it is for every category of the population. DirecTV has all that you need in good television viewing with quality images, pictures, clarity in sound and all you need to pay for is customer programming. The equipment and the installation services are free of charge along and you will get free trials of certain services for a limited time.

There was once a time when satellite TV quality of service was dependant on environmental factors such as the weather that meant if it was a windy or rainy day you would likely be left with poor service. The modern day technological advancement, Direct TV offers their subscribers with a stable signal, even if the environment around you is not favorable.

We all know that the possibilities and benefits of satellite television are myriad, but so far, Direct TV has been one of the best that has made television one of the best experiences any person could ever imagine.

So if you're planning to purchase Direct TV for great satellite TV coverage, then expect all these benefits ready for you and your family's enjoyment.

Maintaining a Balance between Looks and Security

Making your home secure doesn’t mean you have to compromise on style and looks. Security doors and security screens come in a variety of colours, shades and styles that not only protect your family but enhance the look of your home as well. In fact, many doors don’t even look as if security is the first priority. Regardless of the materials used, security doors and screens can be made to complement door frames, paintwork and even pavers without compromising on safety.

What to Look For
Security doors and security screens are designed to be opened up to let the air in while still keeping intruders from entering. Quality security doors need to have a number of features if they are to do their job properly. When considering installing them, look for the following things:
● Make sure they meet Australian Standards. Look for the sticker, which is the best indication that it lives up to expectations. The Australian Standard for hinged and sliding security doors is AS 5039. A door, however, may not have the sticker as manufacturers must pay to use it. Ask if you are not sure.
● The installation also requires an Australian Standard (AS 5040). You should ask for written confirmation that the installation meets this standard.
● Locks should be five pin or have the equivalent cylinder. This makes them stronger.
● The door should have three hinges with fixed pins that cannot be removed.
● The door frame should be reinforced at the corners.
● The door grille should be at least 7mm thick to prevent the door from being kicked in. Rivets or welds that join the grille to the door frame should be no more than 25cm apart.
● The installer should determine if the home’s door frame is strong enough to support the door. If not, reinforcing should be carried out.

Different Types of Doors
While the whole point of a security door is to keep you and your property safe, good looks should not be compromised. There are three main types of security doors and each can have a colour and style that complements your home.
● Aluminium: Even though these doors are less susceptible to corrosion, they are still required under Australian Standards to be anodised or powder coated. Aluminium security doors and screens should also be made of tempered aluminium.
● Steel: Just make sure it meets the Australian Standard, which means it will be protected against corrosion. Doors that have been hot-dipped, galvanised or powder coated are the best, especially if you live in the salt air near the sea.
● Stainless steel mesh: Once again, as long as it meets the accepted standard then it is going to do its job well. Unlike steel and aluminium doors, the strength comes from the mesh used rather than a grille. Manufacturers can use different mesh and claims that one is stronger than the other are yet to be independently tested. These types of doors have only come onto the market in recent years but they do have the advantage of creating a cleaner look.

A Broken Basketball Ring

I've noticed that this basketball ring -on a field near our home- has been broken for about a month. It's a pity that it's painted beautifully but it can't be used. Children still use the field to play football, volleyball and any other games except basketball.

Using Plants for a Healthier Home

There is a surprising amount of chemicals and pollutants floating around in the average household, and there is plenty of research proving that houseplants can clean many of these toxins up. Plants are great because they provide a natural, cost effective way of cleaning the indoor air, plus they can make the inside of your home look fresh and inviting. The following is an explanation of how plants are so effective at cleaning the air in your home, and some examples of the best plants to use.

How They Work
Although there are some types of plants that are more effective at scrubbing toxins out of the air, virtually all plants can make for powerful air cleaners. Through the pores on the leaves, carbon dioxide and other pollutants enter the plant. Through a series of complex chemical processes and reactions within the leaf, photosynthesis takes place and oxygen is released back into the air. Not only are plants effective at filtering out the toxins in your living space, but they also release oxygen in a more pure form. When there are airborne toxins floating around in your living space, they are interfering with your body, particularly your eyes, nose, throat and respiratory system.

The Pollutants

In general, there are three main harmful pollutants that are commonly found in the average household:
benzene
formaldehyde
trichloroethylene (TCE)

The following describes where each pollutant comes from, why they are harmful, and some examples of the best plants that can be used to clean them up:

Benzene
Benzene is a commonly used solvent that can be found in tobacco smoke, gasoline, ink, oil, paint, plastic and rubber. You will also become exposed to benzene when you use manufactured detergents, pharmaceuticals and dyes. If you are exposed to benzene, it may cause dizziness, nervousness, headaches and anaemia, as well as irritated skin and eyes. You can help purify the air, while adding colour to your home, by making a flower arrangement out of gerbera daisies, chrysanthemums and peace lilies, or by using other common plants such as bamboo palm, English ivy and snake plant.

Formaldehyde
In virtually every indoor environment you will find formaldehyde. The major sources of this airborne contaminant are insulation, particleboard and paper products, as well as most commercial cleaning products. Formaldehyde can affect your health by irritating the mucous membranes of your upper respiratory system and can increase the risk of asthma for you or your family. The peace lily flower can help remove formaldehyde from the air in your home as well as bamboo palm, corn plant, snake plant, spider plant, golden pothos and heartleaf philodendron.

Trichloroethylene
There are a wide variety of industrial uses for trichloroethylene (TCE) including in inks, paints, varnishes and adhesives. TCE can affect your central nervous system and cause dizziness, confusion and headaches, and, in high concentrations, can lead to unconsciousness. Plants that can purify the air of TCEs include gerbera daisy, chrysanthemum, peace lily, corn plant and bamboo palm.

So why not put a plant in your home? Doing so will increase the overall health of you and your family by providing clean, fresh air to breathe.

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