#people should feel safe when seeking medical care and medical facilities should be doing everything to make them safe

[snowyjay]

every person should be masked at all times within medical facilities. period. pandemic or not. why is this not treated as a normal fucking safety requirement/precaution like wearing gloves?

[molluskwritesfic]

Where the Roses Grow: Chapter Two

The compound on Arvala-7 didn’t house one bounty, but two. Elsi Nokk is an enslaved nanny with more than a few tricks up her sleeve. She’ll do anything to protect her charge, even if it means standing against - and then with - a certain Mandalorian. Rated M.

This story can also be found on fanfiction.net and Ao3.

@killtherandomness​

CHAPTER WARNINGS: Mild violence, strongly implied child abuse, slavery and associated themes.

Chapter One - This Chapter  - Next Chapter

Chapter Two

It was hot.

The walk hadn't started out horribly. Despite her trepidation, she was still able to appreciate a change in scenery after being penned up in the compound for so long. Thankfully, they'd only been in direct sunlight for about a half hour. After that, they walked in the shade offered by the maze of shallow canyons that stretched out around the compound in every direction.

The baby was having the time of his life. He perched in his bassinet, happy as a clam as he watched lizards skitter in and out of cracks. Life in the compound had been boring for Elsi, but it had been even more frustrating for him. Elsi had done everything in her power to keep him entertained and happy, but a child needed more than his nanny to play with while locked in the same building for so long.

There had been so many games of hide-and-seek.

To him, the change in scenery was magical. He would communicate this to his caretaker, who would humor him by nodding and forcing a smile. He also tried talking to his new friend - the Mandalorian - who ignored him entirely.

Elsi, mindful of annoying a new master - even if it was only a temporary arrangement - had to repeatedly reinforce their little 'be quiet' signal. Each time she held her finger over her lips, the baby would dutifully copy the motion and fall silent, only to forget a minute or so later and go back to chittering for attention.

Not that she blamed him. Their joint existence had been a lonely one.

. ~0~0~0~

Elsi didn't dawdle.

'Daddy's special quests', as Hetta so eloquently put it, was a not-so-discreet euphemism for 'Underworld Contacts'. Like almost every nobleman that managed to cling to power through the rise of the Empire, Lord Burkisn made deals - most under the table, some not - with Imperial officials and dealers. Elsi didn't hold it against him; he was a politician, and that's what politicians did. But now that the Empire had fallen, Lord Burkisn was scrambling to appease the New Republic while still managing old promises.

Although the Empire was technically gone, the power and influence of the Imperial Underworld remained. When an Empire Remnant called in a favor, you did your best to accommodate.

Elsi's soft shoes were soundless on the shiny tile floors as she bustled through the ornate halls, keeping to the walls in order to avoid other servants and the odd protocol droid that bumbled past.

Lord Burkisn had a wide range of servants in his household - approximately a third of them were slaves. Droids could do a slave's work, but weren't nearly as fashionable. House slaves were much harder to replace; you couldn't program them or fix them when they broke. They had to be taught. Fed. Like most pets: a potentially expensive long term investment.

She bypassed the main study - where New Republic representatives were often hosted - and down a set of stairs into the lower levels of the house. Lord Burkisn's private study was well-cushioned and unassuming, but Elsi couldn't help but feel the very air had been tainted by the people that had been hosted there over the years.

If you thought there was nothing worse than a nobleman that both owned slaves and had the gall to manipulate the New Republic system into letting him keep them - you'd be very wrong.

The prospect of a baby was troubling. Why would Underworld entities have a baby in the first place? Let alone a sick baby? Even then, why the hell were they bringing it to HER? Surely they had deep enough pockets to buy their own doctors and nannies to care for it.

She reached the polished oak door and took a moment to straighten out her cotton dress, ensuring she was prim and every hair was in its proper place. This gave her a moment to eavesdrop.

The conversation came in bits and pieces, muddled by the door.

"... Hays Minor. They won't…"

"...sold… from spice dealers on… delivery."

"We couldn't take it to… when it's…"

Lord Burkisn's voice rose above the others, shrill and irritated. "Where the hell is that damn nanny? I paid twelve thousand credits for that overpriced whore…"

Elsi grimaced, realizing that she'd already pushed her luck too far, and knocked.

"Enter!"

Elsi eased her way into the room, head down with her eyes politely on her toes, hands folded chastely in front of her.

"About fucking time," he swore at her, which wasn't out of the ordinary. However, it WAS uncharacteristic of him to do so in front of business associates. Lord Harl Burkisn was tall and on the back side of middle aged with charmingly light blue eyes, chestnut hair streaked with grey at the temples, and impeccable jawline; handsome, really. He took great pride in his appearance. His usual suave, put-togetherness was a huge part of his professional image. "What took so long?"

Elsi lowered her head further in the perfect imitation of shame. "I came as soon as I was told, sir."

He growled under his breath, "Hetta…"

Elsi did nothing to confirm or deny the inference.

Thankfully, Burkisn moved on. He flicked his fingers to summon her closer. She obeyed without question.

Though her eyes were down, she quickly surveyed the room through her eyelashes. Her master was accompanied by two other men, a human and a twi'lek. They were reasonably well-put together, but their dark, closefitting clothes suggested mercenaries, not anyone high-ranking. They were all looming around Lord Burkisn's desk, upon which sat a large metal storage container.

Lord Burkisn led her to it and gestured for her to peer inside.

When Hetta had said that there was a baby, Elsi had assumed that it would be the child of another nobleman - perhaps a bastard that they didn't want their spouse to know about and were secreting away to live somewhere else.

She couldn't have been more wrong. Or confused.

It was a child, alright. A tiny green baby with massive bat ears held flat against a dirty brown sack of an overcoat. It was short, squat, and unlike anything Elsi had seen before.

The little creature was beyond pitiful; curled up in on itself like it was trying it's hardest to be swallowed up in the dirty sack that it wore, which was already much too big for it. It sat with its back to it's audience, pressing the front of its tiny green body into one corner of the box like it desperately wanted to hide.

It was awfully, awfully still.

Elsi's heart broke for it. She looked to her master for instructions.

Lord Burkisn seemed troubled. "Can you care for it?"

Elsi didn't like making promises. "I've cared for many children."

He scoffed and dragged a hand through his hair, making it stick out in every direction. "Yes. Yes. But this one?"

"I don't see why not. But…" She hesitated. "Is it alive?"

Burkisn whipped back around to study the child more closely. His eyes glittered nervously as his less practiced gaze caught what Elsi had seen at once: the unnatural stillness, how quiet it was. Children weren't supposed to act like that.

He turned and fixed the two couriers with a glare.

"Err…" The twi'lek shuffled nervously, very much out of his comfort zone. "Should be…"

"When did you last check?"

"This mornin'," the human said defensively. "It's been sluggish since we got it, but it hasn't done much since midweek. It just sits and stares."

"What changed then?"

"Nothin'! We kept in the landspeeder, just like always - "

"On Hays Minor? It's freezing there! And you just left it in the speeder?" Burkisn accused, dark eyes thunderous with disgust. "This precious, EXPENSIVE asset? And you've treated it so carelessly? Can you even BEGIN to understand what they'll do to m… to YOU… if it perishes? Do you change it? When's the last time it had anything to eat? Have you bathed it recently?"

Rich, coming from a man that hadn't done any of those things for a child in his life. Elsi wasn't fooled by the righteous tirade. It had nothing to do with the baby's welfare.

"Is it alive or not?" He went on to demand. He was worried. While coming to the 'rescue' of something valuable could be beneficial, having the asset die while under his roof would be very, very bad indeed.

The courier closest to the crate reached out a gloved hand and gave the box a sharp shake. Elsi was no stranger to cruelty; her expression didn't change.

The baby gave a barely audible squeak as it was loosened from its makeshift safe spot. Other than that, it's only response was to weakly shift to press its face back into its corner.

"See?" The twi'lek said triumphantly. "It's alive."

The poor thing was half frozen. Lonely and terrified. No wonder it was sick.

Elsi grit her teeth, anxious to be rid of the other adults so she could take over.

"If it's sick, shouldn't we take it to a medical facility?" The human courier piped up. His eyes ghosted over Elsi's form appraisingly. "No offense, but why're we just giving it to a house slave?"

Burkisn sniffed. "You've lost the right to make those decisions. And do you think I'd let my daughter, my own flesh and blood, be cared for by any less than the best?" He prodded Elsi roughly in the shoulder. "Your credentials."

Elsi's collar felt tighter than usual. It was the same practiced spiel she'd given to potential buyers since she was twelve, and she delivered it with less emotion than a droid. "Educated by the Flirkgen Order of Servitude, First Class. I am trained in all forms of childcare from birth to adulthood, including, but not limited to: childbirth, nursing, emergency first aid, education, and nutrition. To date, I have cared for…"

Burkisn silenced her with a wave of his hand. "You see? We can't risk calling for a doctor, anyhow. The asset doesn't exactly blend in, does it? And if they found out it…"

He cut himself off. Elsi didn't bother wondering who 'they' were.

"Can you care for it?" Burkisn repeated. "Nurse it back to health?"

"I'm not a doctor, master," Elsi said warily. She wouldn't know the full extent until she'd had a chance to look it over properly, but the poor creature already seemed half dead to her. "But I will certainly do my best."

"Good. It's settled." He clapped his hands with an air of finality. "You'll make it your top priority. All of your other duties are suspended till further notice."

That was fine by her, so long as she didn't have to be the one to tell Hetta. The child did NOT like sharing anything, especially the slaves that were at her beck and call. There were other childminder's in the household that were more than qualified to care for the master's child, but none of them were Elsi.

Elsi bowed deep. "Yes, master."

We waved her away. "Take it, then. I'll inquire later as to your progress."

With a final curtsy, Elsi bustled forward and picked up the crate, closing the lid in hopes of making the little creature feel a little safer. The metal was icy cold against her skin. Without a moment to spare, she hurried out of the room.

~0~0~0~ .

Elsi was exhausted.

The skin under her collar still burned, the already tender skin actively being rubbed raw by the collar every time she moved her head. Every muscle in her body threatened to give out at a moment's notice. She moved in constant fear that the next step would be the one to send her sprawling to the ground.

She wasn't sure she wanted to suffer that brand of embarrassment today. Not that she had much pride left after a lifetime of humiliation and servitude, but she already had enough to worry over.

She stumbled a few times, but didn't fall. She kept walking.

After several hours, their pace had begun to slow. With every step, a little of the strength she'd pretended to have was leached away. It took everything she had to put one foot in front of the other.

The Mandalorian didn't comment, but Elsi noticed how the brisk, utilitarian pace he'd originally set had dwindled to something that was clearly designed to accommodate her. She appreciated, yet hated it.

Being thought of as weak was usually a good thing. But it wasn't in this case because it was the truth. Being underestimated gave her an edge, one that - staring at the tattered, dirty cloak of the silent wall of armor that stalked silently ahead of her - she wished she still had.

The baby finally settled down, tired from the day. He sat in his bassinet, nibbling his cloth frog and peering out at the changing scenery. His dark eyes flickered as he sought out the lizards that occasionally darted across their path.

Elsi knew he must be getting hungry. She was, too. Their last shared meal had been that morning, and it was well into late afternoon now. Elsi was used to functioning on very little; years of being fed the bare minimum had taught her to ignore the empty gnawing in her gut.

She didn't want the baby to have to learn the same way she did, but had a feeling that the Mandalorian wanted to get somewhere specific before nightfall. The canyons weren't exactly the best place to spend the night. Too many places for an enemy to hide.

She would wait until then before asking for a brief respite to feed her charge.

As if to confirm her suspicions about the canyons, the Mandalorian suddenly came to a halt. He lifted a gloved hand, cautioning Elsi to do the same. It was unnecessary, of course, because she'd heard it as well.

A near-silent footstep. The soft clink of a rock being kicked out of place and knocking into another. A quick, panted breath.

Then silence.

Elsi cast a warning glance at the baby, who didn't need to be directly told to stay silent. The adults' sudden tension was more than enough. He gripped his frog tighter.

Elsi watched the Mandalorian closely, taking note of the tension in his shoulders, waiting for some kind of signal.

She saw the Mandalorian's hand ghost over his blaster.

When the first bounty hunter exploded out of the shadows, Elsi was already on the move. While the Mandalorian met the threat, both of them, head on, Elsi made a beeline for the bassinet.

Sand flew as the sound of battle echoed throughout the narrow canyon. The baby whined when she scooped him into her arms. She hushed him, giving him a little reassuring bounce before slinking away from the conflict.

The baby cried out, distraught. He'd tried to take his frog with him, but dropped it. Elsi cast a glance backward to see it lying prone in the sand, only a few meters away from where the bounty hunters fought.

She went on, melting into the shadows and through a passage in the canyon walls. Worst case, she could make him another.

Elsi turned twice down different paths before deciding they'd gone far enough. She leaned her back against the stone, tucking them away in a dip in the rock face. The sounds of the fight had faded, leaving the pair washed in a heavy silence. Elsi struggled to quiet her breathing, which rasped loudly in her throat as she fought to catch her breath.

The baby buried his face against her chest and grumbled.

"Froggy's fine," she sighed, tipping her head back against the rock and closing her eyes. "We'll get him in a minute."

From what she'd seen, the Mandalorian had been holding his own fairly well, so hopefully they'd be able to go back to the bassinet in a few minutes. Not that she wanted to go with the faceless hunter, but for now she preferred him to the others. At least she was almost certain that he didn't have any immediate plans for killing her or the baby.

Also, he had her fob. She couldn't go very far without it.

Suddenly, the Mandalorian was there. He appeared without warning, scaring the shit out of Elsi - though she'd never show it.

He was more or less unscathed except for a gash in his upper arm. It looked nasty, but he seemed unbothered.

His helmet ticked forward minutely. "You good?"

Elsi's response was collected and emotionless. "Yes."

The child chirruped to say that he was fine, too, thanks for asking.

The Mandalorian cocked his head slightly, then held something out to him. The baby's ears perked forward when he recognized the beloved patchwork frog sitting in the warrior's hand. He gave a squeal of delight and all but threw himself out of Elsi's arms to get it.

Elsi almost dropped him, but was able to adjust fast enough to prevent him from falling. With a weary sigh, she moved to place the baby back in his bassinet, which still floated obediently at the Mandalorian's elbow.

The baby hummed happily and snuggled down in his blankets, squishing Froggy against his cheek.

Elsi's quick eyes went back to the gash on the Mandalorian's arm, then lowered submissively, fixing on the diamond shaped indent on his cuirass. "Your injury looks painful. I can dress it, if it pleases you."

His shoulders settled back; in surprise, Elsi thought.

"It's fine," he rasped. "We need to keep moving."

Elsi didn't argue.

. ~0~0~0~

Despite the awkwardness of the box, Elsi took the steps of the narrow servants' staircase two at a time, doing her best not to jostle the baby.

She winced and murmured an apology when she accidentally bumped it against a wall as she turned a corner, feeling the occupant slide from one corner to another.

Elsi bumped the door to her room open with her hip, and then closed it with her foot. As the head child-minder of a prestigious household, she had been granted her own quarters. She was still a slave, so it wasn't much: a small bed, a fireplace, a couple of chairs, a minuscule refresher, and a table that was covered with her current sewing projects.

She swept the half-finished articles of clothing off the table without a second thought, no longer caring if they got trampled and dirty, then sat the crate gingerly in their place.

Finally alone, Elsi flipped open the lid. Now she was closer, she caught a whiff of what could only have been the child; an unpleasant mix of bodily waste and mildew.

A distraught sigh hissed between her teeth. Elsi cautiously moved to pick up the baby.

The baby seemed to know she was coming and pressed itself more firmly into the corner. She crouched beside the table so that she was level with the box, reaching out tentatively towards the cowering child to smooth the fuzz on the back of its head.

The baby squeaked weakly, somehow succeeding in making itself look smaller. Elsi recoiled. Time was at the essence, but the last thing it needed was to be frightened even more.

"It's okay," Elsi hummed in her most reassuring voice, the same tried-and-true one used to soothe nightmares. She settled back just enough to kneel in the chair and rested her forearms on the edge of the crate.

The baby whined.

"Hey, hey. Shhh," she murmured, reaching out again and brushing her knuckles gently down the baby's spine. It quivered. She repeated the motion, "It's okay. You're okay. Shh."

The baby gave a plaintive squeak that was muffled by the side of the crate.

"Yeah, I know you're cold," she crooned. "Will you let me warm you up?"

The baby didn't comment, but it did turn its head, daring to peer at her with dark, watery eyes. Elsi noted the crusty discharge that had dried at the corners. Then the dampness of its nose.

"Can I hold you?" She asked, holding out her hands to it expectantly.

The baby squeezed its eyes shut.

Elsi figured that it was the closest thing to permission she was going to get. She gingerly wrapped her fingers around the baby's middle and lifted. He weighed next to nothing; she could wrap her hands all the way around him. She immediately transferred him to her chest, tucking his fuzzy head under her chin. Tiny claws curled into the fabric covering her collarbones.

Holding him in place with one hand, she bustled around the room, humming softly for the baby's sake as she unearthed cloth diapers, towels, and wash rags.

She took the supplies to the refresher, where she spread out one of the towels on the counter next to the sink, which she then filled partway with warm water. The child was far too small to consider using the tub.

Careful to cradle his head, Elsi eased the baby down on the counter. His sallow green skin stood out starkly against the fluffy white towel. The child stared up at her blankly through half-closed eyes.

"We're gonna get you clean, m'kay? The water's nice and warm for you. Then maybe you'll feel a little better. That sound good?" She explained to him kindly, but he only blinked in response.

The baby was heartbreakingly easy to manipulate out of his clothes, making her suspect that he was used to being handled roughly. She made a point to be as gentle as possible.

"Do you like bubbles?"

Before his bath, Elsi wiped him down and checked for injuries. He didn't react much to the water, leaning heavily into the hand that was keeping him propped up while she smoothed his skin with the gentlest soap she had and ran a kitten-soft washcloth over his ears.

After, she wrapped him in a small clean blanket instead of redressing him. His tiny robes would need to be cleaned before she would even consider putting them on him again, and even then, they were past use.

She would make him others, but that would take some time.

She laid him against her chest, lifting one of his little three-fingered hands to her lips to press a kiss to his knuckles. Elsi toed off her shoes and settled down on her bed. The baby snuffled a little, but otherwise stayed quiet as she tugged the other blanket over top of them both.

He felt much warmer now, at least. Elsi nuzzled the top of his head, breathing in the gentle smell of flowers from the soap. The baby mumbled softly before blinking his eyes closed.

It didn't take long for him to fall asleep. Elsi rubbed her hand up and down his back. Pressed kisses to the top of his head. Stoked his ears. Hummed a lullaby. Then another.

It seemed that he had given up, but children could be dazzlingly resilient. As awful as he seemed now, he could be up and playing in a day or two. She'd seen it before. Hopefully, a little love and attention would be enough to breathe a little life back into the poor little runt.

She wasn't optimistic, but that wouldn't stop her from trying.

~0~0~0~ .

The trio walked well into the evening, not stopping until the canyons were far behind them and they were surrounded by nothing but flat, rocky plains.

Elsi saw the logic. Out here, nothing could sneak up on them. The Mandalorian would see or hear anything a long time before it became an active threat.

Though she appreciated the strategic value of the decision, she loathed the bounty hunter for forcing them to travel so far before resting.

The last of the sun's rays were fading below the horizon, painting the desert in a myriad of lovely violet hues. The Mandalorian chose a flat-ish expanse of rock to kneel down, producing a collapsible lantern. He set it down at the center of the space and turned it on, casting them all in an orange glow.

"We'll camp here tonight."

Music to Elsi's ears. She all but collapsed to the ground, disguising her exhaustion as productivity by immediately starting to dig through the russack bag. She found the water and two jerky ration packs that she and the baby would share. She uncorked the water and drank, nursing it to make it last.

"Muu?"

The last few hours had them walking directly into the setting sun, prompting Elsi to close the bassinet shutters so as to offer the baby some shade. He'd been quiet for the most part, but now that they'd stopped moving, he seemed to have enough reason to draw attention to the fact that he still was still secluded.

"Muuuu?" Muu? A soft, drawn-out squeaky sound, always turned up at the end like a question. It was the baby's name for his caretaker. It was cute, really. So much better than Nan.

Elsi forced herself back to her feet, ignoring the screaming of her aching muscles in favor of retrieving the baby. When the shutters peeled away, he rewarded Elsi with a wide, toothy grin.

Mood slightly improved, she got him out, but also tugged the bassinet over to where she'd been sitting: away from the Mandalorian.

The baby trilled conversationally at the bounty hunter, who continued ignoring him. In the time it had taken Elsi to get the baby and sit back down, the Mandalorian had removed his cuirass and sat prodding at its inner workings with a tool from his belt.

The baby was entranced by the occasional shower of sparks tossed into the air as the Mandalorian worked, but not so much that he was distracted from consuming every morsel of food Elsi placed in his greedy little hands.

She figured that she ought to hurry. While she was no expert on Mandalorians, she was vaguely aware of the limitations regarding the helmet. He hadn't been able to eat or drink all day, and while Elsi didn't really care much for his welfare, she knew she would if he became frustrated and decided to take it out on her. He could also die from heatstroke, which would essentially trap her and the baby in the middle of the desert.

Until a better option presented itself, he was their best bet.

Elsi didn't give two shits about seeing his face. She had better things to worry about than satisfying basic curiosity - especially curiosity that could end with him killing her out of rage. If he simply asked her to not look, she wouldn't. As her (temporary?) owner, he could also order her not to look, and she'd have no choice but to obey.

But she didn't think he would do either. The Mandalorian would probably wait until they'd both fallen asleep to remove his helmet; which was absolutely no problem for Elsi - she was already half-asleep sitting up. The baby was a little trickier. Elsi would have to make sure he was asleep before settling down herself.

Luckily, the baby hadn't slept much throughout the day. By the time he finished eating, he was snuggling into Elsi's shoulder, making the soft little grumbling noises he made when he was tired.

Elsi hummed to him, soft enough that only he could hear, rubbing his back in time with the melody. It was an old slave song, one she distantly remembered her mother singing for her when she was fussy and small.

The humming also kept the baby from hearing the sounds that the Mandalorian was making. Forgoing Elsi's offer to clean and dress the wound on his arm, he'd settled on cauterizing it with the same tool he was using to repair his armor.

It looked painful. She almost insisted that he stop and let her tend him, but then remembered that she didn't care.

Elsi tucked the sleeping baby in the bassinet, ensuring he was snuggly wrapped in his blankets and clutching his stuffed frog before she closed the shutters.

Confident that he would sleep through the night, Elsi lay down on the stony ground with the russack bag tucked under her head. Mindful to keep her back to the Mandalorian, she allowed her exhausted and abused body to finally rest.

~0~0~0~ .

[bellatrixobsessed1]

The Art Of Remembrance (Part 15)

Azula lies on her back, staring at the ceiling. It is dreadfully boring here, she supposes that dreadfully boring is better than absolute terror. But the boredom in itself leaves her something to fear. The more days that go by without mishap or manipulation, the more unsettled she becomes. So far she has been confined to this white room, safely secured in a straitjacket, for a little over a week and they’ve stopped by her only to offer her medication or recreation time. The more time that passes, the more strongly she feels as though she has been imagining her own predicament. She wishes that they would do something, anything to her. Some minor abuse or form of neglect. But they treat her well enough, all things considered. 

The wirey nurse, who she has come to know as Yion, unbuckles the straps of her straitjacket. It is what serves as her wake up call this morning. She sleepily peers up. “I thought that recreation time was in the afternoon.”

Yion smiles. “You haven’t given us a problem since you’ve arrived so we’ve decided that this…” she gestures at the straitjacket, “isn’t necessary anymore.” 

“Oh.” She replies simply. She should be thrilled to be free of the discomforts. 

“Would you like to speak with Bozan?”

Azula nods. 

“Is there anything that I can do in the meantime?” 

She shakes her head.

“Alright, I’ll have Bozan here in a moment.” The nurse smiles. 

Azula waits for the door’s closing before she wraps her arms around herself and shudders. The thought that she has put herself in here for no reason leaves her feeling more anxious than the gaping hole in her mind. Once more she finds herself pondering upon the idea that it would do her better to seek out her memories in the Forgetful Valley. 

Sokka enters the room as she is propping herself up against the bedpost. “Hey.” He greets sheepishly. “You look pretty upset for someone who just got free use of her arms.” 

“That’s why I’m unhappy, Sokka.”

“Because you don’t like your arms?” He asks.

“Because they’re being friendly?”

“Too friendly?”

“No.” Azula mutters. “That’s the problem. Sokka, they aren’t doing anything. Nothing here is...off.” 

“Isn’t that a good thing?”

She shakes her head. His eyes seem to dim and she thinks that he is beginning to understand. “You don’t think that they have anything to do with your amnesia, do you?”

“No, I don’t think that they do.”

“You’ve only been here for a little over a week.” He points out. “Maybe they’re just keeping a low profile?”

.oOo.

“I--I don’t think so.” 

He hates hearing her sound so unsure. Coupled with the way she protective hugs herself. He thinks momentarily of giving her a reassuring hug of his own, but he isn’t sure that she would take well to that. Even if she did, he couldn’t risk letting a gesture like that be seen. 

“I just...have a feeling that it’s not them.”

“If you weren’t captured, then why would you have such crazy dreams!?” 

“Because I am crazy, Sokka.” 

Again he wishes to reach out to her. At least some small, supportive gesture. Instead he watches her put her head to her pillow and pull the blanket over her shoulder. He thinks that the blanket is too thin. She seems to stare off. 

“I’ll find something.” He declares. 

She crinkles her brows. “Find what?”

“Something! Anything! Proof that you’re not crazy.” 

He sees her swallow. “Why do you care so much? After everything that happened...from the sound of it, you hated me.” 

“I don’t have to keep hating you.” He replies. “Back when we were back at home, I really enjoyed talking to you. You were funny and kind of adorable.” His mind wanders to the scrunchy face she had made upon eating his seaweed stew.

“I’m not adorable. Say that again and I will make sure that you change your mind.” 

“See, that’s what I’m talking about.” He laughs. “Cute and funny.” 

She fixes him with a deadpan stare and rolls to face the wall. 

“My point is, I don’t care that much about the past. It’s the future that matters, right?” 

.oOo.

But her life is so deeply centered around reclaiming her past. 

Not for the first time, she considers that it might be easier if she’d just let go. To abandon such drab memories a focus on forging ones that are worth keeping. 

“Can you have a future if you don’t have a past?” She asks. 

He gives her a little nudge. “Of course you can, and your future is…” he trails off as he tries to imagine a future for her. “Going home and making amends with your brother and my friends. You don’t need your memories to move on.” His face brightens. “It’s probably easier to move forward when you don’t have memories attached.”  

She can swear that he has a particular memory in mind. One that he’d rather get rid of, perhaps several.

Without warning, the door clammors open. “Sorry to intrude.” Yion apologizes. “But we believe that it is time for the princess to see Dr. Yu-Kang.” 

Azula sits herself up and exchanges a glance with Sokka. 

“I’ll see you at dinner?” 

“At dinner, yes.” Azula confirms. 

“Alright, good luck with your first session.” 

Her stomach lurches at the mention of a first session and it flutters twice over as Yion leads her down the hall. “You’re just going to let me wander around unbound?”

“Unless you give us a reason not to.” Yion answers. Something in her tone tells Azula, that she almost expects to see her back in bindings. She stops in front of a door and gives it a knock. “You should remember Dr. Yu-Kang from before you...fled.” 

“I should...”

Before Yion can interrogate her, Dr. Yu-Kang beckons her inside. The woman is well groomed with short hair and golden eyes lined carefully with khol. She is rather tall, but then, Azula thinks that most people are.  “Have a seat, princess.”

Azula makes herself as comfortable as she can.

“It has been a while since we’ve last spoken, yes?” 

“Correct.” Azula replies.

“So I suppose that I should ask you if there’s anything that you’d like to talk to me about, perhaps you’d like to resume where we left off.”

“Where did we leave off?” She asks. 

“You mentioned your mother, several times. You didn’t give me much more than that. Maybe you can tell me why the two of you don’t have a good relationship.” 

Azula’s frown deepens. “I can’t.”

“Can’t or won’t?”

“Can’t.” Azula repeats. “I don’t know why our relationship is so poor.”

Dr. Yu-Kang sighs and pinches the bridge of her nose. “Please don’t make this difficult.” 

Difficult. 

She is beginning to think that it must be true if everyone keeps saying it of her. Even when she doesn’t mean to be difficult. Yu-Kang sighs a second time, but this time her expression is kinder, more sympathetic. “I apologize, I shouldn’t have said that. We can start with something simpler.”

“Yes, that would be best.” She hadn’t even thought of her parents and any problems she might have had with them. She swallows again, feeling a new kind of hollow, she can’t even put a face to her parents. Much less, past arguments. 

“Perhaps you can tell me why you ran away, not once, but twice.” 

“Twice?” 

“Yes, twice. Once after your agreement with your brother and once after your transfer.”

Azula’s head aches with confusion. And she thinks that it renders on her face because Yu-Kang elaborates, “on behalf of your brother, we did a sweep of the Forgetful Valley and we found you. You remained with us for several days before we decided to transfer you to a facility closer to the Capital.”

Azula rubs the heels of her hands into her eyes, she doesn’t know if she should attribute the gesture to frustration or stress. Whatever it is, it is becoming more nagging and troublesome with each new partial fact she acquires. 

“I can’t tell you that either.” 

Yu-Kang opens her mouth and closes it again, thinking better of what she had been about to say. “You can’t tell me because you don’t remember.” It is more of a statement than a question. 

“I was in the Forgetful Valley, you said it yourself.”

“Yes…” the woman trails off. “But you had several sessions with me after that and had no trouble telling me exactly what you thought of your brother, mother, and half-sister…” She breaks off again. “You truly can’t recall anything?”

“Nothing.” 

.oOo.

“Does the Fire Lord know of his sister’s condition?” The woman’s voice is steely and stern.

“Her condition?” Sokka sputters, his mind immediately drifting towards Azula’s missing finger.

“That she can’t remember a thing.” 

“You know about that!? She told you that?”

“Not explicitly.” Yu-Kang replies. “But you’ll find that I can put pieces together.”

“Zuko knows.” Sokka replies, though he doesn’t know if he should. He finds himself wishing that Azula had done a better job of hiding her confusion, though he decides that it might be difficult when bombarded with questions about her past and what makes her tick. Still, he doesn’t think that it is smart to give up every little detail. 

“And you didn’t think to let us know, Mr. Bozan?” 

He shrugs. 

“This is a serious matter. We’ve had several concerns regarding the princess’ wellbeing and not all of them have to do with the danger she poses to herself.” 

“She’s not that dangerous to herself.” He finds himself saying.

“That isn’t what we are discussing right now, Mr. Bozan. There are sinister organizations that have taken an interest in the princess and her...unique psyche. And if we are going to protect her we need to know what you know.”

[sugarkitten-mamahoney]

Life Update ✨

Post: # 6

Date: Monday — August 12, 2019

Time: 11:21 PM Mtn Standard

Topic: My Life As Of Today

Greetings lovely flowers. 🌹

I'd like to start off today's post by saying I'm terribly sorry for not keeping up with my entries and for disappearing for weeks. A lot has happened in the span of the beginning of this blog up to today & I'll gladly fill you in.

TW: mental health issues, PPD, medication, depression, alcohol ab*se, self h*rm, s*icidal thoughts, bullying, body image, loss of a family member

Well back in the ending of May, I came to the realization that I was in fact suffering with PPD. I fought to keep it all bottled up in hopes that by not speaking about it and my ugly feelings, that it'll eventually solve itself and just go away. I was wrong. It came to the point where getting up to take care of my baby was a struggle, my relationship with Daddy was being affected, I was angry and irritated as soon as I woke up, and I felt really alone, ugly, worthless, and I honestly was dying to sleep all day and to be left alone. I didn't want to take care of myself and I had to force myself to be there for my baby. It truly affected my relationship with Daddy and of course our son and other family members, so I was pushing away those who I care about most.

I ended up talking with my boyfriend about how I was feeling and what has been going on in my head. I cried to him as I explained how ugly, pissed off, numb, and annoyed I felt. He held me. He kissed me. He told me he was glad to hear me speak up. He said he noticed the change. He wanted me to know that he is here for me always and that he loves me. I'm so glad I opened up to him and trust him with all my heart. I really don't know what I'd do without him. I love him.

I got the support, comfort, understanding, and love from Daddy. He was first. Then it was a couple of family members, my mom, aunt, sister-in-law... some understood, others didn't. They just agreed to disagree. It's hard opening up to those you love and trust when it comes to mental health when they do not understand or believe you. But I did it anyway and let them feel however they wanted... it's not my fault PPD affects a lot of young, 1st time moms. It's not my fault my seratonin levels are unbalanced and low.

I've had my battles overcoming depression a couple of times in the past. I've dealt with being cyber bullied to the point of feeling suicidal. I've self harmed and abused alcohol to forget my feelings and who I was. I even started lying to my parents and sneaking off to drink and black out with people I could not even trust. I was spiraling out of control because I never felt comfortable and safe to tell my parents how I felt when they rejected me at first for telling them that I was depressed. So I secretly suffered, I did.

But I'm getting help. I have talked with my doctor, and also seeking help from the mental health facility and will hopefully be paired with a wonderful therapist. I've also been started on a low dose of anti-depressants. My doctor and I went over all the options, twas ultimately my choice, and she always has my best interest at heart. So we went forth and started the medication as part of my treatment. I'm hoping I get better before Halloween, but only time will tell.

Another thing that's been going on is of course the fact that I'm struggling with my self-esteem and body image. I'm no longer body positive towards myself and feel nothing but resentment, disgust, and hatred towards my body. I should not feel this way at all but I do. I overeat. I eat when I feel bored and lonely. I'm over 210 pounds and I feel like shit. I hate my body.

Soooo, I am talking about this with my doctor of course AND also getting lots of support and love from Daddy. He is supportive of me and does his best to not get frustrated with me when I happen to down talk my body and he is encouraging me to eat better, drink water, and get active. Baby steps. He gets me. Daddy is truly helping and without him here, I know I'd be an even bigger mess than I am now. I was honest when I told him how I got skinny and lost weight and he promised me he will help me but the RIGHT & healthy way. I love him.

And well... my best friend of 11 years basically said she is kind of done being my best friend. She said that I am "emotionally exhausting to talk to" and that she "did not know what to say to me any more because she doesn't know how to talk to me." Whatever that means right?? I'm so tired of being hurt and abandoned. I promised her I would never do that to her and kept that promise but she writes me a sad letter in an unfinished notebook (which is unlike her, it never happens) and basically said she's calling it quits. I lost a best friend. What does one do when her best friend dumps her?? I've been ignoring that with everything else that has been happening....

Another thing is I recently lost my grandfather. It hurts talking about. I can't help but to cry and breakdown. I was very close with my grandfather, and my grandmother. We were all raised to be a close-knit family and we were all connected... what we have is special. But now my cheí is gone, he is reunited with my grandma... it just hurts. I seem okay but really, I still feel so overwhelmed with emotions yet empty at the same time. I'm also still in shock... i can't believe he is gone. It hurts so much.

So anyway, this was all that's been going on and my life just got a bit too out of hand for me to be active on here with my personal blog. I am hoping to get back into that to keep me busy. My son keeps me busy for the most part, and with the recent loss of my cheí, I was swamped and stressed since I'd take my baby and I up to the hospital everyday just to visit him. Also was making time to spend quality time w Daddy and re-bond with our baby. So it's been a hell of a ride. But here is a list of good things that have happened in between so I don't end this on a shitty note:

✧ Daddy, Baby, & I are doing better

✧ Baby turned 5 months old

✧ Baby melon also started rolling like a pro & is starting to crawl backwards

✧ I'm drinking more water

✧ I'm on top of taking my medication

✧ Daddy bought me a lot of great books

✧ My nails are growing back

✧ I watched some new movies w Daddy from RedBox (should I do mini reviews of the movies?? Hmm... maybe !!)

✧ Baby melon chews on his toes

✧ I've been wearing one of my grandpa's shirts

✧ I'm becoming more responsible with the money Daddy gives me

✧ I started reading more books more often

✧ I've been tracking my feelings lately & keeping a diary

✧ Daddy, baby, & I went a 3 hour road trip and had fun

✧ I wrote a nice caption for my next serious Instagram post and to me, it's super welcoming, helpful, safe, and inspiring (???)

✧ My mom is sleeping more

✧ I'm doing my best

[ladyrudiluna-blog]

Looking for a plastic surgeon?  Check out these tips

Victoria Cross, a 57-year-old out of Montgomery Village, Maryland, believes her breast reduction exactly the very best thing she has ever done for himself. "After I awakened from the operation and awakened, it had been the very first time in a really long time which I did not sense any pulling my chest and my shoulders were not damaging," she informs SELF. Cross, that had the process in age 45, was a D cup at high school along with a G cup from the time that she had her operation. Now she is a joyful C cup and hasn't looked back.

But among the reasons why she waited till her 40s for this particular process was due to the problems involved with finding the proper surgeon for your job. "Part of the reason behind the span was persuasive a few of the offices I wished to'interview' the physician," she clarifies. To put it differently, she was not keen to sign the paperwork and fulfill with her handler while she had been lying on the table.

The amount of men and women having plastic surgery is currently on the upswing, with more than 17.1 million cosmetic processes occurring at the calendar year 2016 independently, which means a growing number of individuals are working to enter the novelty game. However, you need to be cautious about picking out the ideal professional to perform the job. As plastic surgery brings a developing base of keen patients, quite a few naturopathic doctors and possibly even non-physicians are leaping on the decorative bandwagon, launching white laboratory coats and all. Along with fulfilling with the surgeon in person, it is also advisable to look at their desktop to be certain they are certified to take care of the specific procedure you are seeking to possess.

To assist you pick a competent, proficient, educated, and also pleasant-to-be-around plastic surgeon, then we spoke with specialists and former patients that understand the business's ins and outs. Here is what they suggest you're doing.

1. Speak to friends, family , and acquaintances who have had work done for recommendations.

To begin with, think about those near you. Has anybody had completed? If you are comfy, reach out for him or her to get information.

Do not know anybody ? Ask about for a relationship. Start with some other acquaintances or friends who might work in healthcare, for instance a nurse, or nurse practitioner, or physician assistant.

2. Do your own homework by studying up on testimonials of surgeons in your town.

"For me personally to knowledge is power, therefore that I read review after inspection to receive an awareness of earlier patients' experiences and also allow me to to know just a bit about how every surgeon'functioned,' both in and outside of the living space," she informs SELF.

"Many individuals do not understand that, but there is a'key' set of tens of thousands of girls on Instagram who make pages devoted to breast augmentations and other varieties of plastic surgery," she informs SELF. "This was very useful because I must observe girls document their expertise in the research phase all the way into a year following operation." This social networking community not just helped Maury understand just what to expect, but in addition, it helped her cut off her choices.

3. Be certain that you look at everything online using a healthy dose of doubt.

Golas claims that although testimonials about Yelp and RealSelf.com, and also the societal networking pages of individuals may be great sources, they may also be a source of misinformation. "Anonymous testimonials (particularly negative ones) might be employed by a patient to seek out revenge or advance their own schedule rather than as a means of sharing wisdom and personal experience along with other possible sufferers," she states.

In precisely the exact same vein, take care when contemplating"before and after" pictures. Most physicians will showcase those images on their site or may send illustrations in an individual's request. Golas cautions that not many surgeons exhibit their job honestly. "When looking in'before and after' images, guarantee that the makeup, in addition to the light and colors, are exactly the exact same in the two images," she states. "Manipulating those aspects to enhance the overall look of'later' images is a straightforward widely used trick"

Additionally, it is wise to be on the lookout for physicians who seem to rely heavily on advertisements. If their webpage continues to pop up everything out of the FB feed into the regional billboard, it might be a red flag as opposed to a great sign. "Recall that the principal job of a fantastic doctor ought to be to take care of her or his patients, to not collect the best number of clicks or followers from self-promotion," states Grant.

4. Verify the credentials of all your applicants.

Located a few alternatives? Great. Before arriving face-to-face together, be sure that they check off each one the vital boxes which tell you they are fully qualified to execute your preferred procedure. "physicians call themselves'cosmetic surgeon,'''cosmetic surgeon,'' or'cosmetic medicine expert,' all of that aren't plastic surgeons,'" explains David Shafer, M.D., plastic and cosmetic surgeon and creator of Shafer Plastic Surgery at nyc.

"It changes by therapy, but many noninvasive processes can be carried out by non-MDs like physician assistants, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, as well as aestheticians beneath the'oversight' of a physician," clarifies Golas. Exactly how much oversight these suppliers really get fluctuates broadly. "Remember that'non-invasive' does not mean 100% secure. These processes may have negative effects and it's ideal to be under the attention of an experienced doctor who will recognize and handle problems should they happen."

You will want to make certain your selected candidates are trained in your region of concern. "Some physicians from different specialties also do cosmetic surgery procedures or remedies, but don't have standardized or in depth training in these regions," says Shafer. Examples of this include a ob/gyn who plays liposuction or family doctor who's injecting Botox. If your particular operation is market, and something just a couple of physicians in your area of this nation work, Julius Couple, M.D., then a plastic surgeon, then commissioner of cosmetic medication for the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery and creator of The Few Institute, recommends contemplating someone who had been included in the creation or improvement of the procedure.

"The ABPS's membership requirements are rigorous and include instruction and board certification requirements, therefore all members have been assessed to execute both cosmetic and reconstructive surgery," states Golas.

Look closely at the facts; the ABPS is not the sole board on the market, but it is the one that you must anticipate. "There are several distinct sorts of surgeons and also non-surgeons now that are performing cosmetic processes, and lots of distinct boards which'reevaluate' practice, so the general public is frequently confused and misled," clarifies Theda Kontis, M.D., facial plastic and cosmetic surgeon at Baltimore, Maryland.

5. Ask whether a plastic surgeon is connected to a hospital.

Whether the physicians you are contemplating have hospital privileges would be just another eligibility box you will want to check out.

This is an important element for Ryan as it came to creating her choice. "Though I knew the surgical process I desired was, in actuality, safe and routine, I wished to undergo operation feeling comfy if something were to happen clinically, then my physician needed access to a hospital center which could tackle any probable complications," she states.

6. Come to every appointment ready and prepared to ask questions.

"By the close of the procedure, you wish to be certain your physician are on precisely the exact same page and have conveyed your needs and wants."

This really is a great opportunity to find photographs of the physician's past job, and discover out whether they are experienced in the process that you would like done. Additionally, it provides you the chance to communicate your own dreams and intentions and get a sense for if they know and can provide the results that you desire.

Additionally, it is a fantastic time to explain prices. "Surgeries may possess a physician's charge, an anesthesiologist charge, along with a living room or facility charge," clarifies Shafer. "Be certain each of the charges are discussed before operation so there are not any surprises."

On occasion you're able to get funding or process incentives. "For example, the Botox firm Allergan, supplies a free treatment of Botox with almost any breast augmentation with their implants," says Shafer. Most remedies have a set cost but in addition have bundle prices for at least 1 treatment. But keep in mind that plastic surgery isn't something that you can buy for cheap. Fair, but not affordable, pricing is just another indicator of a fantastic plastic surgeon.

7. Remember you desire a surgeon who's polite and useful in addition to proficient with this knife.

A clear, but significant, one can be a physician's bedside manner. "When a surgeon appears to be routinely hurried, pressures one to experience a specific surgery, balks in the seeking additional remarks or delegates the majority of the care following the process to other people, recall," cautions Grant.

Cross agrees, noting her physician's bedside manner was a large reason she picked him to get her own breast reduction. "If the physician came to the office, he instantly commiserated together and my personal circumstance. He asked me lots of inquiries and explained exactly what was entailed, healing time, potential dangers, etc.. He showed me that a part of his job, gave me a package of information, also explained I needed to consider what the operation involved to get a few months before I could come back in to your official appointment and chat about scheduling the operation."

The other red flag is that a physician not talking realistic results, including the two the pros and cons of this process. "There is not any such thing for a process without advantages and possible negatives," states Few. "When the surgeon feels like a used automobile salesman than a physician, that is a significant warning and generally something which provides an instinctive reaction to go everywhere."

Maury was relieved when her physician gave her honest outlook because of her surgical results. "He promised me that saline implants wouldn't seem like balls in my torso, however, he did inform me of their advantages and disadvantages of both silicone and saline," she explained. "However he left the choice up to me"

8. Be certain the workplace is immaculate and the staff is more friendly.

You would like to feel more comfortable where you will be needing the process. When it is a little center or even a giant hospital, then you should not feel stressed or stressed as a consequence of the odor, appearance of this area, or even the character of their team.

Most importantly, it ought to be clean. "If you're going to a person's living space, cellar, or seat at a nail salon you then probably aren't being viewed by a qualified and certified plastic surgeon," Shafer warns. Considering that the medical center has been onsite in Ryan's physician's office, the most essential element for her operation was that the working room. In the long run, I'd say it had been equally as critical as picking the surgeon ."

9. Listen to your stomach and go at your own pace.

Should you're feeling uneasy, even in the event that you can not appear to pinpoint precisely why, do not follow along with this office, this physician or, possibly, that process.

The connection you've got with your plastic surgeon will be a personal and private one. It requires the ideal sort of link and fuse of characters to produce the ideal match. Because of this, patients and experts agree that carrying your own time is essential. "That is a man or woman who you'll be discussing your concerns together --a few you might not even talk to your partner or spouse," says Couple.

After Cross made a decision to proceed with her process, it took about three weeks to obtain the appropriate physician. "I'd narrowed my list down to three candidatesbut because they were highly advocated it was tricky to find an appointment"

It required Ryan just four weeks to locate her plastic surgeon, but she says she still understands that rapid timeframe is not average. "I knew that I needed to have the process when you can, but I assured myself if I did not find the ideal surgeon straight away, I'd keep on searching," she states. "It ended up carrying less time than I ever believed." She joined with a physician who whined and admired her particular aesthetic targets and may answer her medical queries completely and wholeheartedly, which entirely assured she was moving ahead. "I enjoyed my physician carrying the excess time to answer my own inquiries and the hands on approach of reacting to my correspondence involving my appointment, process, and postoperatively," she states. "That is a connection after all, so that I needed it to function as easy as you can without sacrificing that individual touch"

SCHEDULE A CONSULTATION

Interested in know about your options?  Whether you are thinking about having cosmetic surgery, a non-surgical procedure or have had prior surgery and are seeking additional touch-ups, it is critical to work with a skilled plastic surgeon that specializes in facial procedures. Dr. Robert Sheffield is a board-certified facial plastic surgeon at SB Aesthetics offering services to those in Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, San Luis Obispo, Oxnard and Ventura, CA, and the surrounding communities.  Dr. Sheffield offers patients a customized treatment plan and is available to answer your questions. To schedule a consultation, call 805.318.3280 today.

SB Aesthetics

https://sbaesthetics.com 2320 BATH ST #203 SANTA BARBARA, CA 93105 P: (805) 318-3280 E: info@sbaesthetics.com

[silverfall-patriarch]

Peace....and War

I’ve not left Sanctuary City since Lord Kiden’s son brought me here over two weeks ago. I just can’t bring myself to vacate the towering columns of Titancrafted buildings and mechanical wonders that I can’t even begin to process. None of what I’m surrounded with makes any sense to me, but gods...I can see Lochlyn in ever polished surface, and not just because her statue watches over the city itself.

Her dreams built this place. I don’t know how, as I didn’t think I needed to pepper the young man with questions when we came here, but I know they did. Only she could have so beautifully melded Titan technology with such a perfect testament to her Argent roots that the end result is a promise to those who want peace, that it can be found. It doesn’t bring her back, but its a small mercy to know she found me worthy of such a utopia, and that I can stand with this one last piece of her.

This place...its unreal. Not even in my wildest dreams could I have conceived of a city as grand as this, and yet it feels more like home than even Eversong has in awhile. I don’t find myself longing for the red and gold trees, or even my anvil...as the one I discovered a few short blocks from my apartment is beyond anything I could ever have wanted. There’s only one thing I don’t like about this place, and that is knowing Lochlyn never got to see it, and she never will.

I’m not alone, though. Raelin, and Lady Brilaria Suncrest, the Praetorium’s Confessor, were the first people I brought here once I learned of the healing shortage the city faces, as I know of none more capable than they. Tanner only arrived a new days ago, as he was lost without us in Light’s Hope, but he’s settling in nicely. There’s plans to bring the rest of the contingent here, but right now we have to get our bearings and find a rhythm before I start ferrying in the rest of the Praetorium.  Apart from the number of us, there’s also the dragons and drakes to contend with. Light bless, it was enough of a trial to get Dalis, Cora and Sym to use the airstrip for landing purposes after the airships scared them half to death, but we’ve managed to make it work. Two of the three can’t take a mortal form...so it’s a bit of a learning curve we’re all trying to come to terms with, and we’re getting there.

I’ve pretty much lost my Captain and Brilaria to the medical facilities, but I really can’t blame them, every new corner in this place yields some sort of awe inspiring wonder. From what I hear them speak on, the state of the art technologies and unheard of treatments will save thousands of lives. For two who have dedicated their life to healing the sick, it is a dream realized, and I’ve not seen either of them this happy in years.

Tanner spends most of the time with his mouth open and gawking at wherever our daily travels lead us. We pick a direction and just walk, making notes and marks on our maps where things are, so we have a better idea of exactly where we have come to live. It’s been delightful, if I am honest, and a welcome departure from tending to the blisters on my hands from the hours at the smithy. We have spent our time aiding those in need where we could, or seeking the roots of a community that are only now starting to form.

All in all, I can see a future in this place for my Praetorium, and while it would never see us break the oaths we have taken, I can envision the men and women under my command finding peace in these gilded roadways. I can see their children being raised under the tenets of ‘Unhu’ here, and becoming beacons of hope and light in this war torn world of ours. No, we would never abandon Quel’thalas, but nor should we fear the wrath of the Horde should they seek to push us under their banner, as all our lands are ancestral. I have seen the political machinations of the Alliance at work, and my banner will not be controlled by the whims of a Banshee Queen or a Dog King who whispers nefarious purpose into the ear of the Wrynn Pri-...King.

That future, however, is about to be tested as Tanner comes barrelling into my apartment, out of breath and holding a Praetorium communication stone.

“Pixie...1078! Darkshore...Barons on the comms, Commander.” I can see the panic in my young squire, as he knows Addie wouldn’t call an ‘all hands’ if it wasn’t an emergency. His hands are trembling as he hands me the stone, flopping onto the couch to catch his breath.

“Alpha, give me a sit rep.” I say into the comm as a sense of dread takes hold of my stomach.

“Pixie has a healing contingent with the Runesinger en route to Lor’danal, Commander. Early reports indicate the Horde has launched an offensive against Ashenvale with Astranaar already having fallen. No official reports on casualties, but the Major is on his way to Zoram’gar as we speak, and that area is densely populated with civilians.”

 Really? Horde attacking civilians...light have mercy. “And Addie?”

“Not much to go on, Commander... she’s in Darkshore, right now that’s all I know. ETA is about 17 minutes on her backup. What are your orders?” If there’s one thing I can count on the Baron for, its knowing he’ll do everything in his power to keep my Adilynia safe. She may not have chosen him to give her heart to, but his will always be hers, regardless if she knows it or not.

“Sound the call and get them all to Light’s Hope. Maintain a holding pattern until you hear from me.”

“By your will, Commander.”

Tanners already on his feet and handing me the summoning charms for my armor by the time I start moving for the door. It feels a bit odd to have it back on after weeks of being absent of it, but its a welcome weight on my shoulders and a necessity as once again the egos of the world have brought war without care for the cost. How many lives will be lost in this? How many families torn apart by their sons and daughters being sent to fight? The thought makes me sick...

....but maybe, just maybe...we can save some of them.

“Tanner, detour to the clinic. Tell Raelin and Brilaria to meet me at the airstrip with medkits...Sym’s on his was with Dalis and Cora.”

“What’s the plan, Commander? You know the Ironfist is going to ask me a million questi-” Never let it be said that Tanner doesn’t know his knights well. He’s right, Raelin will want a full report on the way so he knows what to expect.

“We can’t aid either side in this, Tanner...not a weapon can be raised for either faction in this battle unless it is self defense. It would break our most basic of oaths... but it does not mean we are powerless. We are called to protect life...this place calls us to do the same..”

I can see the light bulb turn on behind my squires eyes as he realizes what I’m saying, causing a bright smile to split his face wide. “The civilians...we can get them out safely, without aiding either faction and eventually... maybe bring them here?”

“Let’s work on getting everyone out of the war path first...” Damn, this kids one step ahead of me in terms of the rescue mission, but I can’t fault his enthusiasm. I don’t know who I’d talk to about refugees taking up residence here, but its the whole purpose of the city, right? I’ll worry about that later. Right now, I need to go see if this plan of mine is even going to work...as it hinges on one very particular item.

“Now go to the clinic...I’m going to see a man about an airship.”

(( @khan-of-the-ruruan @sanctuary-city-wra @ironbound-praetorium @teren-k @kelladen @lochlyn-kiden @adilynia  @kelly-hartford @ly-canthos @aresh-isdiearore mentions and involvement :) ))

THE PIXIE’S VIEW

THE IRONFIST’S VIEW

THE PRIEST’S VIEW

THE GUARDIANS VIEW

[podcastdx]

Parkinson's Caregiving

Our guest on todays show is Elizabeth "Liz" Coy.  She is a full time Business Development Executive, and now also a caregiver for her dad who has developed Parkinson's.  

People with Parkinson’s disease rely on caregivers for a wide range of support — from driving them to doctors’ appointments to helping them get dressed. As the disease progresses, dependence on caregivers increases substantially.

Caregivers can help people with Parkinson’s adjust to the disease’s effects on the body. And knowing that a loved one is cared for can help the entire family adjust to the diagnosis.

But the person with Parkinson’s disease isn’t the only one who should be cared for.

Caregivers must take care of themselves too. Being a caregiver can be a complicated — as well as a physically and emotionally draining — experience.

Here are 12 ways to handle your role as a caregiver without neglecting your own well-being.

  1. Educate yourself

As caregiver, it’s important for you to become familiar with all aspects of the disease. This will ensure better care for the patient and easier transitions for you as the disease progresses.

It will take time and continual effort for you to learn about the many varied Parkinson’s symptoms and how to manage them. As time goes on, you will also need to learn about medication regimens, which can be complex.

Several organizations, including The National Alliance for Caregiving and the Family Caregiver Alliance, provide assistance and care specifically to caregivers. These caregiver support groups offer:

education seminars

enrichment resources

connections to other individuals in similar situations

2. Prepare

Parkinson’s disease begins very slowly. It typically starts with a small tremor in one hand or difficulty walking or moving. Because of this, the role of caregiving is often thrust on a person with very little warning or a chance for preparation.

But once the diagnosis is made, you will lessen future stress by preparing now for the road ahead. Much of the work can wait, but you will want to start thinking now about the basics, such as:

Who will do food shopping and prepare meals?

How will medications be stored and administered?

What will have to change in the home setup to keep things safe and easy?

Of course, everything doesn’t have to change at once. And your loved one can probably share in a lot of it in the beginning. Talk with your doctors and other medical professionals about when and how much to restructure your lives.

As your loved one’s Parkinson’s progresses, their mental abilities will likely diminish. They will be less able to make decisions and plan.

At that point, prioritizing planning ahead will help both of you. Using an app may be helpful to make daily schedules as well as reminders for appointments, visitors, and special occasions.

3. Be involved

When a loved one is diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, treatment for the disease should begin almost immediately. This is a time of major change not only for the person with Parkinson’s but also for you, the caregiver.

Doctors strongly encourage caregivers to attend doctors’ appointments. Your input may help your doctor understand:

how the disease is progressing

how the treatments are working

what side effects are occurring

As Parkinson’s disease progresses, dementia may make the patient’s memory worse. By going to the appointment, you can help remind your loved one of what the doctor said or instructed. Your role during this time is especially important to the treatment plan.

​4. Establish a team

Many family members, friends, and neighbors will be happy to help if you need to run errands or just take a break. Keep a handy list of people you can call on occasionally when you need help.

Next, designate which people are the best to call on for specific situations. Some people may be more helpful with certain tasks, like grocery shopping, mailing packages, or picking up children from school.

​

5. Develop a support group

Caring for a loved one can be deeply satisfying. It’s a chance for your family to draw together as you face the challenges of Parkinson’s disease head-on.

However, providing emotional and physical care for someone with an illness can become stressful and, at times, overwhelming. Balancing your personal life with caregiving can be difficult. Many caregivers will face periods of feeling guilty, angry, and abandoned.

Of course, you don’t have to experience this alone. Support from other family members or professionals can help:

relieve stress

reevaluate approaches to treatment

offer new perspective on the caregiving relationship

Ask your doctor or your local hospital’s health outreach office for contact information for a Parkinson’s disease caregiving group. The person you’re caring for will likely also benefit from being part of a support group.

Support groups allow for open communication with other people facing the same struggles. These groups also provide an opportunity to share suggestions, ideas, and tips among the group members.

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TRANSFORM: Health Equity

71% of people agree that underrepresented communities in the US face greater hardships in accessing healthcare. Learn how they’ve been affected, and how you can help, today.

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  6. Seek professional assistance

Especially in the latter stages of Parkinson’s disease, caring for your loved one may become more difficult. When this happens, you may need to seek professional care from a care facility or organization.

Certain symptoms and side effects of Parkinson’s disease may be best treated with professional assistance or home health nurses, or in a nursing home environment. These symptoms and side effects may include:

difficulty walking or balancing

dementia

hallucinations

severe depression

  7. Hire outside help if you need it

At some point, you may feel that both you and your support network are stretched thin. You’re tired, and you don’t feel comfortable asking friends and family to pick up the slack.

But the yard really needs upkeep. And the house isn’t as clean as it should be. And suddenly, it seems, you’re totally out of food, as well as the energy to go grocery shopping.

Hiring a gardener, a house cleaner, or a grocery delivery service can help if this is an option for you. Your physical well-being will thank you for it.

  8. Build a good relationship

Caring for a loved one with Parkinson’s can place a great deal of stress on your relationship. A person you love is changing both physically and mentally, and both of you are needing to adapt.

The Michael J. Fox Foundation recommends keeping communication as open as possible and being flexible with your changing roles. Be aware that some changes, such as new apathy or irritability, is not directed personally at you.

If both you and your loved one are willing, consider consulting a therapist together. You can work through any of the anger, denial, or upset you are feeling, and find ways to keep your relationship healthy and loving.

  9. Manage your stress

As caregiver, you are going to feel stress. You may feel fear, anger, helplessness, and more as you meet new challenges every day.

It’s important for you to know what triggers your stress and develop practices to manage your emotions and release them effectively. Journal writing, going for a walk, or calling a friend can all help.

Other coping skills might include:

Do something you enjoy. Tend the garden, talk to a neighbor, or read a book. Take at least a few minutes every day to enjoy yourself.

Try deep breathing. Even spending 1 minute taking 10 or so deep breaths can give your mind a rest and your energy a boost.

Get a massage. Getting a massage can release stress and give you the much-needed sense of being cared for.

Try a TV show. It’s OK. Be a couch potato for a half-hour or so. Watch your favorite TV show. It may help distract you from difficulties.

Exercise. This is one of the best stress-busters there is. Make time for it and find one you enjoy.

  10. Be realistic

As a Parkinson’s caregiver, it is sometimes hard to remain rooted in the here and now.

In one moment, you might harbor hope that your loved one will somehow miraculously return to normal and be themselves again. In the next moment, you might think differently.

These are the times to take a few deep breaths and focus on how things truly are in this moment. Ungrounded fears and hopes can distract you from carrying on with life as it is.

If you need it, professional help can teach you tools and tips for how to do this. Mindfulness training, talk therapy, and meditation are all avenues you might explore.

  11. Pay attention

The Parkinson’s Foundation points out that part of caring for your own mental and emotional well-being comes from noticing and understanding the changes both you and your loved one are experiencing.

The physical abilities of your loved one will change over time — and sometimes very suddenly. It is up to you to notice the change since they may not. By paying attention to these changes and managing them, you can make the road ahead easier for both of you.

You also have to keep a close eye on your own changes. ResearchTrusted Source shows that Parkinson’s caregivers frequently experience depression and anxiety, and their quality of sleep often diminishes.

  12. Care for the caregiver

Whether you’re a spouse, parent, child, or friend, your role as a caregiver is to be on call 24/7. You’ll likely feel as if your entire world revolves around your loved one, while your personal life takes a backseat.

ResearchTrusted Source shows that caregiver burden is high among Parkinson’s caregivers, who likely face emotional, social, physical, and financial challenges as a result.

As the demands of caring for a loved one increase, many caregivers neglect their own health. It’s important to be proactive and take care of yourself. Keep current with your own medical appointments and healthcare needs.

Other things you can do to stay in shape include:

eat a balanced diet

exercise regularly

get proper sleep

schedule social activities for yourself

get temporary respite care when you need it

  Takeaway

Caregiving for someone you love who has Parkinson’s is a major undertaking that can bring changes and challenges to every aspect of your life.

You will likely face emotional and physical hurdles, but also joy and the pleasure of helping someone you love. A brief prescription for succeeding as a caregiver includes:

educating yourself

asking for help when you need it

taking care of yourself

Don’t be shy about asking your medical providers, caregiving organizations, friends, and family for help. You need to do everything you can not only to help your loved one, but to also keep yourself healthy and positive as well. (credits to Healthline)

Check out this episode!

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Increase Your Knowledge Of Cosmetic Surgery With This Practical Advice

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Increase Your Knowledge Of Cosmetic Surgery With This Practical Advice

Increase Your Knowledge Of Cosmetic Surgery With This Practical Advice

Cosmetic surgery is something to contemplate deeply before jumping into it. You need to know the right questions to ask yourself as well as anyone who you will be interviewing to do the procedures. This article will try to highlight what you need to think about and what you need to know going in.

Increase Your Knowledge Of Cosmetic Surgery With This Practical Advice

Make sure any doctor you interview has a portfolio of past clients to look at. Give a good look to their before and after images, and decide if you’d be happy with the kind of results the surgeon has achieved. Ask as many questions as you want, and ask if you can speak to any past clients to find out more about the entire experience. Doing this helps you figure out if you are a good match with this doctor.

If you have already decided on one surgery or another, and it is coming soon, there is some preparing you need to do. One of the most important things to consider is your pre-op diet. You want to avoid gaining or losing too much weight in this period as it can change things for your doctor.

Do not get cosmetic surgery from a surgeon whom you have not checked out. You want to make sure that your surgery goes well, and that the surgeon who is conducting the surgery on you is trustworthy. You can ask previous patients to figure out if the doctor is reliable or not.

Go to the Department of Health of your state to get more information about your plastic surgeon. You will get more information about his or her education and find out if he or she is properly licensed. Stay away from any surgeon without a license or a legitimate college degree.

There are many clinics that perform the surgery, but then they act as if they do not want to be bothered with you once it is over. Make sure that the clinic you have scheduled your surgery with provides after care visits for patients if something goes wrong.

Check out the credentials of medical facilities you will be frequenting for your treatment. Just like you want to know the details of your doctor, you should also find details about the clinic. Don’t forget to look at problems and success from past cases.

When it comes to your health and cosmetic surgery, be sure that you make sure that you are having cosmetic surgery done for the right reasons. This is important because you want to make sure that you decide why you are having it done in order to ensure that you are not making a poor decision.

Learn about the risks of your cosmetic surgery. All surgery carries risks. Even the most routine face-lift, can result in death. Though such extreme results are not common, it is important that you learn about all possible risks. You need to make an informed decision. Have your doctor, or surgeon explain all the risks in plain language.

You should explore different alternatives to cosmetic surgery. For instance, if you are interested in changing the size of your breasts or getting a liposuction, a healthy diet and a lot of exercise could help you reach your goals and save a lot of money. Give yourself a few months to try different alternatives before getting surgery.

During your pre-surgery consultation with your cosmetic surgeon, you will want to discuss anesthesia. It is important to know that a qualified anesthetist will be administering your anesthesia, and monitoring your health during the procedure. You will also want to discuss the various anesthesia options that are available to you.

Do not go abroad to get surgery because of cheaper prices. Going to another country is a good option, if you have a way to make sure your surgeon is properly trained and licensed. And will perform the operation in an accredited facility. Stay away from countries where surgeons are not legally required to have a license.

Do not be afraid to ask your plastic surgeon anything you want to ask. Many people feel that their questions are silly, and refrain from asking them. As a patient, it is your right to know everything that is going on with your health. No matter what it is, ask your plastic surgeon!

Before opting for cosmetic surgery, try to fix any issue that makes you unhappy. Even though most procedures are reasonably safe, there are always risks with any type of surgery. For example, if you are overweight, try diet and exercise before opting for surgery.

Be sure to ask whether your plastic surgeon is a cosmetic surgeon, or a reconstructive surgeon. While the two sub-specialties both fall under the umbrella of plastic surgery. They can be very different in practice. If you are seeking cosmetic surgery, you want a surgeon familiar with cosmetic surgery in general, and the procedure you seek specifically.

No matter where you’re having your cosmetic surgery done, you can be sure that there are formal professional requirements for the doctors who handle it. Take the time to confirm if your doctor’s credentials check out. It’s a simple process, and the amount of potential harm that it can help you avoid it is enormous.

If you want to have plastic surgery, talk to a psychologist first. Perhaps you do not want surgery for the right reasons or there are other things you should do instead of getting surgery, such as treating a depression or a low self-esteem.

Be prepared for pain. There is no way around the fact that many cosmetic surgery procedures are painful. Prepare yourself for it. Many patients report that, the most unpleasant aspect of the entire process is the pain. It may last for several weeks after your surgery. You can help reduce this a bit by ensuring that you are in good physical shape, before going under the knife.

You could read book after book and article after article and only scratch the surface of cosmetic surgery, the options, the costs and the complications. This article has tried to showcase some of the more important pieces of the puzzle for you. Keep doing your research and you will be able to make a well-informed decision.

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How Often Should You Do General Cleaning in Your Medical Facility

General cleaning usually means wiping down surfaces with a disinfectant, vacuuming, sweeping, mopping, and emptying trash cans and recycling bins. These basic tasks are necessary for maintaining a safe, orderly, and welcoming environment no matter what industry you work in, but they’re even more essential in healthcare settings. Medical facilities may have additional requirements even for general cleaning. If you’re wondering how often it is necessary to do general cleaning in your medical facility, the short answer to that question is daily. However, some factors influence the frequency and thoroughness required for general cleaning that you should monitor closely.  

OSHA Requirements

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has specific requirements relating to medical facilities. Blood, hazardous chemicals, and radiation are all concerns for employees and anyone else in an area where those materials might be found. A full description of the relevant regulations can be found in Title 29 of the Code of Federal Regulations. Essentially though, proper training, personal protective equipment, and careful disposal are required to prevent exposure to bloodborne pathogens, potentially harmful chemicals, and radiation. Be certain to comply with the OSHA regulations that apply to your facility when it comes to cleaning, including those relating to frequency and products used.

Amount of Foot Traffic

More foot traffic means more cleaning is required. Ideally, everything a patient touches should be single-use only, disinfected, or sterilized between uses. It’s challenging to do this amount of cleaning in common spaces like waiting rooms, so general cleaning every day and additional cleaning whenever contagious illnesses like norovirus or the presence of bodily fluids or chemicals require it is a good baseline to follow.

Some days and times of the year involve more trips to medical facilities, so monitor these patterns and adjust your cleaning schedule accordingly. The weather may also influence the amount of general cleaning your facility needs. If there’s snow or ice during a cold snap, people may track in salt residue and sand from the roads, requiring more effort to clean. Make sure your cleaning schedule is flexible. Some medical facilities are more likely than others to have unexpected events that fall outside regular, scheduled general cleaning.

Staff Size

Like the amount of foot traffic your facility receives, the size of your staff will also influence the amount of general cleaning necessary. The more staff members you have, the more general wear your facility will experience. More staff members also mean more trash and recycling. In addition, you will require more general cleaning if your facility has a cafeteria or a breakroom where staff members eat. This is true even if the only foodservice item you have is a coffee pot. Food waste and coffee grounds begin to smell and need to be removed much more quickly than paper or plastic waste, so make sure your cleaning schedule allows for more frequent trash removal.

Allergy Season

Common allergens like dust and pollen can increase the amount of general cleaning your facility requires. During the spring, when there’s so much tree pollen it looks like your car is covered in yellow chalk dust, it’s even more vital to provide a clean environment for your patients. Up to 30 percent of adults in the United States have seasonal allergies. Doing what you can to reduce allergen exposure at your facility can help ensure your patients are more comfortable, no matter why they’re seeking treatment.

COVID-19 and Other Infectious Illnesses

In the age of COVID-19, viral exposure is at the forefront of everyone’s minds. According to the University of California Davis, COVID-19 is primarily spread by breathing the virus in, not by touching contaminated surfaces. In some cases, people may be lulled into a false sense of security regarding COVID-19 if they know surfaces are being disinfected, so social distancing and masks should be required in your facility.

Other illnesses, however, are spread through contact with contaminated surfaces. Depending on the virus or bacteria in question, it can take up to ten minutes of contact for a disinfectant to work. In this case, contact means that the surface is visibly wet. If a disinfectant takes longer than ten minutes to work, the Environmental Protection Agency will not have approved it for use. You shouldn’t rely on it in your medical facility. The people responsible for cleaning your medical facility must understand how to use the needed cleaning products to ensure surfaces are clean and germ-free.

Type of Facility

The type of medical facility you run will influence the amount of general cleaning you need to do. Are you a dermatologist? A psychiatrist? An oncologist? Are your patients usually children or adults? Do they have compromised immune systems? Are they coming to see you because they have a contagious illness? All of these factors need to be considered when deciding how often to do general cleaning. Facilities that serve children, patients with compromised immune systems, or patients that are contagious need to pay extra attention to cleaning due to the health risks and behaviors associated with these populations.

General Neatness

The outward appearance of your facility matters. People expect medical facilities to be spotless because they are entrusting you with their health or the health of their loved ones. It may not consciously register with your patients, but dust, full trash cans, and particulate matter on the floor can make them feel tense or uneasy about the quality of care offered by your facility. A dirty facility can lead to patients seeking treatment elsewhere or avoiding treatment altogether. Keeping your facility neat is vital for the trust and comfort of your patients and can improve the productivity and well-being of your employees as well.

Allied Facility Care is Green Seal-certified, a member of the International Sanitary Supply Association (ISSA), and brings more than 25 years of specialized cleaning experience to the table. If you’re in the Dallas or Fort Worth area and you’re looking for sustainable, dedicated, and experienced cleaners to do general cleaning for your healthcare facility, contact Allied Facility Care for your free quote today.

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Nursing Homes In Utah

One of the things many families face as our loved ones age is finding a suitable nursing home to care for an elderly relative. Nursing homes and assisted living facilities vary in the types of patients they accept, the services they offer, and the care they deliver. While some nursing homes may initially appear to offer the services you want and the staff may say everything you want to hear, it still prudent to look for objective measures of quality of care.

When looking for nursing home, we advise you stay away from ones with:

• High turnover rates: If nursing home residents and staff are happy, they will stay. When staffs are not happy with their job or the conditions of their employ, they will either leave or take it out on those in their care. You do not want either. High turnover rates are a bad sign.

• A low Medicare star rating: Medicare.gov assigns star ratings to nursing homes based on a variety of factors. All you need to do is enter your zip code to compare the ratings of nursing homes based on health inspections, staffing quality measures, and overall rating.

• A number of serious violations: Not all violations are of the same level of severity. When looking for a nursing home take the time to find out how many reported violations it has and the basis for each violation. Nursing homes cited for severe violations should be avoided.

• Heavy restrictions on the independence of residents: When you admit a loved one to a nursing home, you do not want one that puts heavy restrictions on his or her independence. You want to provide a safe place where your loved one will still be able to have a certain level of freedom, maintain decision-making responsibilities, and feel at home.

Most importantly, you want to avoid any nursing home that leaves you feeling uneasy or uncomfortable. Meet with the nursing home administrator of prospective nursing homes and ask about their restraint policies, the ratio of personal care staff to residents, how often doctors visit and the social calendar for residents. Do residents appear well groomed and dressed? Choosing a nursing home is not a minor decision. You need to trust your instincts. The future health and well-being of your loved one depends largely on the choices you make.

Choosing the Right Nursing Home Based on Your Loved One’s Needs

When looking for the right nursing home, you will want to choose one based on your loved one’s specific needs. The right nursing home will treat your loved one with dignity and respect and provide the high-quality care and services he or she needs to maintain health and security. In addition to nursing homes, many areas have a number of community services designed to assist with the personal care and provide activities for the elderly. Home health care, subsidized senior housing, residential care facilities, and Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRC) are among the options to consider before placing your loved one in a nursing home.

Common Resident Complaints in Nursing Homes

There are many complaints among nursing home residents. Many of these are valid, while others indicate a perceived lack of quality care in the eyes of residents and family members. Common complaints include:

• Slow responses to calls. When residents seek help using in-house calling systems, the response time can vary. Staff members have extremely high workloads, and may not respond as quickly as patients demand. This can lead to significant numbers of complaints, as patients do not feel as if their needs are being addressed in a timely fashion.

• Poor food quality. Long the bane of every healthcare facility, complaints about food, both in quality and in variety, have risen in recent years. While it impossible to cater to every taste while providing healthy, nutritious meal options, nursing homes need to take a proactive approach in addressing food quality issues.

• Staffing issues. With some facilities facing serious staffing shortages and high workloads among existing staff, patients in these nursing homes often feel as if their needs are not being met. Complaints arise regarding patient lifting equipment, under-trained staff members, and a host of related issues surrounding care delivery and staff responsiveness.

• A lack of social interaction. Many elderly patients grow to feel isolated from the world around them. Dwindling family visits are often the cause for this isolated feeling, and patients come to expect that staff members replace family in social interactions. Unfortunately, staff members do not have the time and may not have the training for this role.

• Disruptions in sleep. Care never stops in nursing homes; these facilities provide around-the-clock care for residents. Interruptions in sleep, such as when staff members stop in to take vital signs or to deliver medication, are common. Residents often complain about loud neighbors and even the conversations between workers during nighttime hours.

Handling Common Complaints: Reducing Liability Exposures

Forward-thinking nursing homes and skilled care facilities understand that they are not only healthcare providers but also customer service-oriented operations. To address complaints and to improve service, many of these facilities have adopted unique approaches. Regular review of policies and procedures is typically the first step in reducing complaints. Many facilities will seek the input of patients and family members, usually through some form of survey instrument. With this information, the facility can then create initiatives to address common complaints. As mentioned earlier, food-related complaints are very common in any healthcare facility. To address this, facilities often create long-term food rotation schedules, such as four-week rotations. These facilities may also seek higher-quality food vendors and enhance presentation of food items to head off any potential complaints. Staff training and retraining is an important part of risk management, just as is nursing home insurance. By making sure staff members are equipped with the knowledge and skill needed to provide expert care, complaints tend to plummet. With these practices, nursing homes can continue to provide care for the many patients who rely on their service. Being responsive to emerging complaints is a powerful risk management tool, helping to improve the quality of care and the life of so many elderly citizens.

Choosing and Evaluating a Nursing Home

Can there be a more difficult job than finding a nursing home for a parent or spouse? No one wants to live in a nursing home. They serve as institutions of last resort when it’s impossible to provide the necessary care in any other setting. And, typically, the search takes place under the gun when a hospital or rehabilitation center is threatening discharge or it’s no longer possible for the loved one to live at home. Finally, in most cases, finding the right nursing home is a once-in-a-lifetime task, one you’re taking on without the experience of having done it before. That said, there are a few rules of thumb that can help you:

• Location. No single factor is more important to quality of care and quality of life of a nursing home resident than visits by family members. The quality of care is often better if the facility staff knows that someone who cares is watching and involved. Visits can be the high point of the day or week for the nursing home resident. So, make it as easy as possible for family members and friends to visit.

• Get references. Ask the facility to provide the names of family members of residents so you can ask them about the care provided in the facility and the staff’s responsiveness when the resident or relatives raise concerns.

• Check certifying agency reports. Medicare’s Nursing Home Compare is a free site that allows consumers to compare the quality of the nursing homes they’re considering, using Five-Star Quality Ratings, health inspection results, nursing home staff data, quality measures, and fire safety inspection results.

• Talk to the nursing home administrator or nursing staff about how care plans are developed for residents and how they respond to concerns expressed by family members. Make sure you are comfortable with the response. It is better that you meet with and ask questions of the people responsible for care and not just the person marketing the facility.

• Tour the nursing home. Try not to be impressed by a fancy lobby or depressed by an older, more rundown facility. What matters most is the quality of care and the interactions between staff and residents. See what you pick up about how well residents are attended to and whether they are treated with respect. Also, investigate the quality of the food service. Eating is both a necessity and a pleasure that continues even when we’re unable to enjoy much else. It is also advisable to try and get a tour of the facility that is not prearranged. While this is not always possible, it does give you the opportunity of seeing an unrehearsed atmosphere.

How Much Does a Nursing Home Cost?

Nursing home care is likely more expensive than you think, which means you need to do your homework to find the best deal. The average total cost for a nursing home is higher than you might think – way higher. According to industry data, the average cost of a nursing home residence, is $8,121 a month for a private room, and $7,148 a month for a semi-private room. Both figures represent total costs for nursing home care monthly, including room, board, fees, and ancillary expenses charged by nursing home (also called a skilled nursing facility.) The factors that matter when calculating the total cost of a nursing home stay rarely vary. The top of that list includes the quality and location of the nursing home residence, how long the stay will be the nursing home care recipient, and the number and quality of specific senior home care services required by the recipient and his or her family. Those extra charges could be for a wide menu of services, including physical therapy, memory care, prescription drug purchase and/or delivery, special meals based on dietary needs, and other critical services a nursing home resident may need. That’s why an all-inclusive nursing home care rate is advisable for seniors and their families. It gives you a total cost estimate and you may get discounts on key services for paying for an all-inclusive senior care center plan. It’s also worth noting that nursing home care on all levels outpaces the U.S. rate of inflation, by an average of 3%-to-6% annual cost growth rate for nursing homes versus the current U.S. inflation rate of 1.8% through July 2019. Put that calculating factor into play and the expected cost of annual nursing home care for a semi-private room rises to $120,008 and the cost of a private room soars to $134,896 in 2028.

Comparative Costs

With the costs of nursing home care so high – even for a semi-private room – Utah seniors and their families may want to set their sights lower and pay a more affordable rate of senior home care or assisted living care even if that means foregoing the nursing home care experience.

There are two ways of looking at the costs of nursing home care versus assisted living.

• First, you’re getting more comprehensive care, including 24-hour medical services, from a nursing home.

• Second, you’re paying significantly less for assisted-living care, which costs approximately 50% less (depending on where you live) compared to nursing home care. If you’re a senior with a family able to pitch in for care needs, the price difference is hard to ignore, as most Americans can hardly afford $8,000 or even $6,000 a month for full-time nursing home care.

Home-based senior care has a quality of life advantage built into the equation, like most seniors, if health allows, would rather stay in the comfort and safety of their own home than have to live in a nursing home or even spend time at an assisted care center. Base costs for home care do come in much lower than a nursing home or even assisted-living care, but there are plenty of add-ons and caveats that can add to the cost of home-based senior care.

Is Nursing Home Care Tax Deductible?

The short answer is yes, nursing home care and most professional senior care costs can be tax-deductible as legitimate medical expenses. You can deduct the full cost of nursing home care if you or your spouse or dependent resides in a nursing home care for medical/health care reasons. In that scenario, you can deduct the whole cost of nursing home care, including room, board, and meals. The IRS is prickly about seniors opting for nursing home care for non-medical reasons and doesn’t allow for deductions for seniors who reside in a nursing home for personal reasons (i.e., they like the environment and the facility, and are there for reasons other than health issues.) That “medical versus personal” area is a gray one in the eyes of the IRS, so it’s best to work with a trusted accountant or tax specialist to make sure you’re making the correct call when listing a nursing home expense as a deduction on your taxes.

Choosing the Right Nursing Home

Now that you’re more aware of the cost of a nursing home, what are the best action steps to take to choose the right one for yourself or a loved one?

If you or a family member has a close relationship with their physicians or has spent time in a hospital and care clinic, take advantage of that proximity to knowledge and ask a doctor, nurse or clinician for their “top votes” for nursing home care centers near you.

What matters to you in a nursing home selection process is a big issue and needs to be prioritized. If it’s the location to family, quality of the facility (i.e. cleanliness or access to regular medical care), good meals, or access to favored religious services, that matter, then say so upfront when you’re visiting home and vetting it.

Ask your friends, neighbors, and co-workers if they have any tips or inside knowledge on local nursing homes. Social media, the Better Business Bureau, and even local law enforcement or community centers are a good place to go fishing for solid nursing home information. Visit the Center and Ask Other Families and Residents Staying There Besides asking for references, which should be a staple when you’re vetting a nursing home, ask residents and their families what they like and don’t like about the facility. Anyone who spends regular time at a nursing home should be a great source of information and red flags concerning that facility. So make sure to ask around when you’re on site.

Medicaid is one of the most common ways to pay for a nursing home when you have no money available. Even if you have had too much money to qualify for Medicaid in the past, you may find that you are eligible for Medicaid nursing home care because the income limits are higher for this purpose. The specific income requirements will depend on your state. As it is a separate program, Medicare does not pay for long-term nursing home care, although in some cases, the insurance will cover a short-term stay (under 100 days) in a nursing home. Another option is to seek assistance from your state’s agency in the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging. This government program helps seniors access the local financial assistance services available to them.

Can I Be Kicked Out of My Assisted Living Community or Nursing Home if I Can’t Pay?

Once you find an assisted living community or nursing home you can afford in the present, it is important to ensure you can afford to stay there in the future if your resources run out. Always ask to see the care company’s policy in writing, so you know what will happen if your money runs out. In most cases, the bottom line is that yes, the care home can evict a resident who can no longer afford to pay. The requirements to kick a resident out for failure to pay vary from state to state. Generally, assisted living and nursing homes must notify you and your family at least 30 days before discharge, and also create a report summarizing your current mental and physical health status and your post-discharge plan of care.

If your money runs out and your family is not able to step in and cover costs, your options will depend on your state and whether you are residing in an assisted living or nursing home. At a nursing home, federal law entitles you to the right to file a hardship waiver with your state’s Department of Health and Human Services. A hardship waiver must document how the move would endanger your health or your access to shelter and food. While a federal hardship waiver does not apply to assisted living facilities, you can still reach out to government agencies, such as your Area Agency on Aging or your local long-term care ombudsman, which every state is required to have under the Federal Older Americans Act. Your ombudsman may be able to negotiate with the facility, secure financial aid to pay for your care or find you a new home. Finally, a lawyer may take your case and help you.

Elder Law Attorney

When you need legal help from an Elder Law Attorney in Utah, please call Ascent Law LLC for your free consultation (801) 676-5506. We want to help you.

Ascent Law LLC 8833 S. Redwood Road, Suite C West Jordan, Utah 84088 United States Telephone: (801) 676-5506

Ascent Law LLC

4.9 stars – based on 67 reviews

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Utah Divorce Code 30-3-35

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The post Nursing Homes In Utah first appeared on Michael Anderson.

from Michael Anderson https://www.ascentlawfirm.com/nursing-homes-in-utah/ from Divorce Lawyer Nelson Farms Utah https://divorcelawyernelsonfarmsutah.tumblr.com/post/631374281212936192

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Nursing Homes In Utah

One of the things many families face as our loved ones age is finding a suitable nursing home to care for an elderly relative. Nursing homes and assisted living facilities vary in the types of patients they accept, the services they offer, and the care they deliver. While some nursing homes may initially appear to offer the services you want and the staff may say everything you want to hear, it still prudent to look for objective measures of quality of care.

When looking for nursing home, we advise you stay away from ones with:

• High turnover rates: If nursing home residents and staff are happy, they will stay. When staffs are not happy with their job or the conditions of their employ, they will either leave or take it out on those in their care. You do not want either. High turnover rates are a bad sign.

• A low Medicare star rating: Medicare.gov assigns star ratings to nursing homes based on a variety of factors. All you need to do is enter your zip code to compare the ratings of nursing homes based on health inspections, staffing quality measures, and overall rating.

• A number of serious violations: Not all violations are of the same level of severity. When looking for a nursing home take the time to find out how many reported violations it has and the basis for each violation. Nursing homes cited for severe violations should be avoided.

• Heavy restrictions on the independence of residents: When you admit a loved one to a nursing home, you do not want one that puts heavy restrictions on his or her independence. You want to provide a safe place where your loved one will still be able to have a certain level of freedom, maintain decision-making responsibilities, and feel at home.

Most importantly, you want to avoid any nursing home that leaves you feeling uneasy or uncomfortable. Meet with the nursing home administrator of prospective nursing homes and ask about their restraint policies, the ratio of personal care staff to residents, how often doctors visit and the social calendar for residents. Do residents appear well groomed and dressed? Choosing a nursing home is not a minor decision. You need to trust your instincts. The future health and well-being of your loved one depends largely on the choices you make.

Choosing the Right Nursing Home Based on Your Loved One’s Needs

When looking for the right nursing home, you will want to choose one based on your loved one’s specific needs. The right nursing home will treat your loved one with dignity and respect and provide the high-quality care and services he or she needs to maintain health and security. In addition to nursing homes, many areas have a number of community services designed to assist with the personal care and provide activities for the elderly. Home health care, subsidized senior housing, residential care facilities, and Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRC) are among the options to consider before placing your loved one in a nursing home.

Common Resident Complaints in Nursing Homes

There are many complaints among nursing home residents. Many of these are valid, while others indicate a perceived lack of quality care in the eyes of residents and family members. Common complaints include:

• Slow responses to calls. When residents seek help using in-house calling systems, the response time can vary. Staff members have extremely high workloads, and may not respond as quickly as patients demand. This can lead to significant numbers of complaints, as patients do not feel as if their needs are being addressed in a timely fashion.

• Poor food quality. Long the bane of every healthcare facility, complaints about food, both in quality and in variety, have risen in recent years. While it impossible to cater to every taste while providing healthy, nutritious meal options, nursing homes need to take a proactive approach in addressing food quality issues.

• Staffing issues. With some facilities facing serious staffing shortages and high workloads among existing staff, patients in these nursing homes often feel as if their needs are not being met. Complaints arise regarding patient lifting equipment, under-trained staff members, and a host of related issues surrounding care delivery and staff responsiveness.

• A lack of social interaction. Many elderly patients grow to feel isolated from the world around them. Dwindling family visits are often the cause for this isolated feeling, and patients come to expect that staff members replace family in social interactions. Unfortunately, staff members do not have the time and may not have the training for this role.

• Disruptions in sleep. Care never stops in nursing homes; these facilities provide around-the-clock care for residents. Interruptions in sleep, such as when staff members stop in to take vital signs or to deliver medication, are common. Residents often complain about loud neighbors and even the conversations between workers during nighttime hours.

Handling Common Complaints: Reducing Liability Exposures

Forward-thinking nursing homes and skilled care facilities understand that they are not only healthcare providers but also customer service-oriented operations. To address complaints and to improve service, many of these facilities have adopted unique approaches. Regular review of policies and procedures is typically the first step in reducing complaints. Many facilities will seek the input of patients and family members, usually through some form of survey instrument. With this information, the facility can then create initiatives to address common complaints. As mentioned earlier, food-related complaints are very common in any healthcare facility. To address this, facilities often create long-term food rotation schedules, such as four-week rotations. These facilities may also seek higher-quality food vendors and enhance presentation of food items to head off any potential complaints. Staff training and retraining is an important part of risk management, just as is nursing home insurance. By making sure staff members are equipped with the knowledge and skill needed to provide expert care, complaints tend to plummet. With these practices, nursing homes can continue to provide care for the many patients who rely on their service. Being responsive to emerging complaints is a powerful risk management tool, helping to improve the quality of care and the life of so many elderly citizens.

Choosing and Evaluating a Nursing Home

Can there be a more difficult job than finding a nursing home for a parent or spouse? No one wants to live in a nursing home. They serve as institutions of last resort when it’s impossible to provide the necessary care in any other setting. And, typically, the search takes place under the gun when a hospital or rehabilitation center is threatening discharge or it’s no longer possible for the loved one to live at home. Finally, in most cases, finding the right nursing home is a once-in-a-lifetime task, one you’re taking on without the experience of having done it before. That said, there are a few rules of thumb that can help you:

• Location. No single factor is more important to quality of care and quality of life of a nursing home resident than visits by family members. The quality of care is often better if the facility staff knows that someone who cares is watching and involved. Visits can be the high point of the day or week for the nursing home resident. So, make it as easy as possible for family members and friends to visit.

• Get references. Ask the facility to provide the names of family members of residents so you can ask them about the care provided in the facility and the staff’s responsiveness when the resident or relatives raise concerns.

• Check certifying agency reports. Medicare’s Nursing Home Compare is a free site that allows consumers to compare the quality of the nursing homes they’re considering, using Five-Star Quality Ratings, health inspection results, nursing home staff data, quality measures, and fire safety inspection results.

• Talk to the nursing home administrator or nursing staff about how care plans are developed for residents and how they respond to concerns expressed by family members. Make sure you are comfortable with the response. It is better that you meet with and ask questions of the people responsible for care and not just the person marketing the facility.

• Tour the nursing home. Try not to be impressed by a fancy lobby or depressed by an older, more rundown facility. What matters most is the quality of care and the interactions between staff and residents. See what you pick up about how well residents are attended to and whether they are treated with respect. Also, investigate the quality of the food service. Eating is both a necessity and a pleasure that continues even when we’re unable to enjoy much else. It is also advisable to try and get a tour of the facility that is not prearranged. While this is not always possible, it does give you the opportunity of seeing an unrehearsed atmosphere.

How Much Does a Nursing Home Cost?

Nursing home care is likely more expensive than you think, which means you need to do your homework to find the best deal. The average total cost for a nursing home is higher than you might think – way higher. According to industry data, the average cost of a nursing home residence, is $8,121 a month for a private room, and $7,148 a month for a semi-private room. Both figures represent total costs for nursing home care monthly, including room, board, fees, and ancillary expenses charged by nursing home (also called a skilled nursing facility.) The factors that matter when calculating the total cost of a nursing home stay rarely vary. The top of that list includes the quality and location of the nursing home residence, how long the stay will be the nursing home care recipient, and the number and quality of specific senior home care services required by the recipient and his or her family. Those extra charges could be for a wide menu of services, including physical therapy, memory care, prescription drug purchase and/or delivery, special meals based on dietary needs, and other critical services a nursing home resident may need. That’s why an all-inclusive nursing home care rate is advisable for seniors and their families. It gives you a total cost estimate and you may get discounts on key services for paying for an all-inclusive senior care center plan. It’s also worth noting that nursing home care on all levels outpaces the U.S. rate of inflation, by an average of 3%-to-6% annual cost growth rate for nursing homes versus the current U.S. inflation rate of 1.8% through July 2019. Put that calculating factor into play and the expected cost of annual nursing home care for a semi-private room rises to $120,008 and the cost of a private room soars to $134,896 in 2028.

Comparative Costs

With the costs of nursing home care so high – even for a semi-private room – Utah seniors and their families may want to set their sights lower and pay a more affordable rate of senior home care or assisted living care even if that means foregoing the nursing home care experience.

There are two ways of looking at the costs of nursing home care versus assisted living.

• First, you’re getting more comprehensive care, including 24-hour medical services, from a nursing home.

• Second, you’re paying significantly less for assisted-living care, which costs approximately 50% less (depending on where you live) compared to nursing home care. If you’re a senior with a family able to pitch in for care needs, the price difference is hard to ignore, as most Americans can hardly afford $8,000 or even $6,000 a month for full-time nursing home care.

Home-based senior care has a quality of life advantage built into the equation, like most seniors, if health allows, would rather stay in the comfort and safety of their own home than have to live in a nursing home or even spend time at an assisted care center. Base costs for home care do come in much lower than a nursing home or even assisted-living care, but there are plenty of add-ons and caveats that can add to the cost of home-based senior care.

Is Nursing Home Care Tax Deductible?

The short answer is yes, nursing home care and most professional senior care costs can be tax-deductible as legitimate medical expenses. You can deduct the full cost of nursing home care if you or your spouse or dependent resides in a nursing home care for medical/health care reasons. In that scenario, you can deduct the whole cost of nursing home care, including room, board, and meals. The IRS is prickly about seniors opting for nursing home care for non-medical reasons and doesn’t allow for deductions for seniors who reside in a nursing home for personal reasons (i.e., they like the environment and the facility, and are there for reasons other than health issues.) That “medical versus personal” area is a gray one in the eyes of the IRS, so it’s best to work with a trusted accountant or tax specialist to make sure you’re making the correct call when listing a nursing home expense as a deduction on your taxes.

Choosing the Right Nursing Home

Now that you’re more aware of the cost of a nursing home, what are the best action steps to take to choose the right one for yourself or a loved one?

If you or a family member has a close relationship with their physicians or has spent time in a hospital and care clinic, take advantage of that proximity to knowledge and ask a doctor, nurse or clinician for their “top votes” for nursing home care centers near you.

What matters to you in a nursing home selection process is a big issue and needs to be prioritized. If it’s the location to family, quality of the facility (i.e. cleanliness or access to regular medical care), good meals, or access to favored religious services, that matter, then say so upfront when you’re visiting home and vetting it.

Ask your friends, neighbors, and co-workers if they have any tips or inside knowledge on local nursing homes. Social media, the Better Business Bureau, and even local law enforcement or community centers are a good place to go fishing for solid nursing home information. Visit the Center and Ask Other Families and Residents Staying There Besides asking for references, which should be a staple when you’re vetting a nursing home, ask residents and their families what they like and don’t like about the facility. Anyone who spends regular time at a nursing home should be a great source of information and red flags concerning that facility. So make sure to ask around when you’re on site.

Medicaid is one of the most common ways to pay for a nursing home when you have no money available. Even if you have had too much money to qualify for Medicaid in the past, you may find that you are eligible for Medicaid nursing home care because the income limits are higher for this purpose. The specific income requirements will depend on your state. As it is a separate program, Medicare does not pay for long-term nursing home care, although in some cases, the insurance will cover a short-term stay (under 100 days) in a nursing home. Another option is to seek assistance from your state’s agency in the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging. This government program helps seniors access the local financial assistance services available to them.

Can I Be Kicked Out of My Assisted Living Community or Nursing Home if I Can’t Pay?

Once you find an assisted living community or nursing home you can afford in the present, it is important to ensure you can afford to stay there in the future if your resources run out. Always ask to see the care company’s policy in writing, so you know what will happen if your money runs out. In most cases, the bottom line is that yes, the care home can evict a resident who can no longer afford to pay. The requirements to kick a resident out for failure to pay vary from state to state. Generally, assisted living and nursing homes must notify you and your family at least 30 days before discharge, and also create a report summarizing your current mental and physical health status and your post-discharge plan of care.

If your money runs out and your family is not able to step in and cover costs, your options will depend on your state and whether you are residing in an assisted living or nursing home. At a nursing home, federal law entitles you to the right to file a hardship waiver with your state’s Department of Health and Human Services. A hardship waiver must document how the move would endanger your health or your access to shelter and food. While a federal hardship waiver does not apply to assisted living facilities, you can still reach out to government agencies, such as your Area Agency on Aging or your local long-term care ombudsman, which every state is required to have under the Federal Older Americans Act. Your ombudsman may be able to negotiate with the facility, secure financial aid to pay for your care or find you a new home. Finally, a lawyer may take your case and help you.

Elder Law Attorney

When you need legal help from an Elder Law Attorney in Utah, please call Ascent Law LLC for your free consultation (801) 676-5506. We want to help you.

Ascent Law LLC 8833 S. Redwood Road, Suite C West Jordan, Utah 84088 United States Telephone: (801) 676-5506

Ascent Law LLC

4.9 stars – based on 67 reviews

Recent Posts

Utah Divorce Code 30-3-35

LGBTQ Adoptive Parents

Tax Law Penalties

No Job And Child Support

Four Corners Rule For Contract Disputes

Utah Divorce Code 30-3-35.1

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The post Nursing Homes In Utah first appeared on Michael Anderson.

Source: https://www.ascentlawfirm.com/nursing-homes-in-utah/

[divorcelawyergunnisonutah]

Nursing Homes In Utah

One of the things many families face as our loved ones age is finding a suitable nursing home to care for an elderly relative. Nursing homes and assisted living facilities vary in the types of patients they accept, the services they offer, and the care they deliver. While some nursing homes may initially appear to offer the services you want and the staff may say everything you want to hear, it still prudent to look for objective measures of quality of care.

When looking for nursing home, we advise you stay away from ones with:

• High turnover rates: If nursing home residents and staff are happy, they will stay. When staffs are not happy with their job or the conditions of their employ, they will either leave or take it out on those in their care. You do not want either. High turnover rates are a bad sign.

• A low Medicare star rating: Medicare.gov assigns star ratings to nursing homes based on a variety of factors. All you need to do is enter your zip code to compare the ratings of nursing homes based on health inspections, staffing quality measures, and overall rating.

• A number of serious violations: Not all violations are of the same level of severity. When looking for a nursing home take the time to find out how many reported violations it has and the basis for each violation. Nursing homes cited for severe violations should be avoided.

• Heavy restrictions on the independence of residents: When you admit a loved one to a nursing home, you do not want one that puts heavy restrictions on his or her independence. You want to provide a safe place where your loved one will still be able to have a certain level of freedom, maintain decision-making responsibilities, and feel at home.

Most importantly, you want to avoid any nursing home that leaves you feeling uneasy or uncomfortable. Meet with the nursing home administrator of prospective nursing homes and ask about their restraint policies, the ratio of personal care staff to residents, how often doctors visit and the social calendar for residents. Do residents appear well groomed and dressed? Choosing a nursing home is not a minor decision. You need to trust your instincts. The future health and well-being of your loved one depends largely on the choices you make.

Choosing the Right Nursing Home Based on Your Loved One’s Needs

When looking for the right nursing home, you will want to choose one based on your loved one’s specific needs. The right nursing home will treat your loved one with dignity and respect and provide the high-quality care and services he or she needs to maintain health and security. In addition to nursing homes, many areas have a number of community services designed to assist with the personal care and provide activities for the elderly. Home health care, subsidized senior housing, residential care facilities, and Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRC) are among the options to consider before placing your loved one in a nursing home.

Common Resident Complaints in Nursing Homes

There are many complaints among nursing home residents. Many of these are valid, while others indicate a perceived lack of quality care in the eyes of residents and family members. Common complaints include:

• Slow responses to calls. When residents seek help using in-house calling systems, the response time can vary. Staff members have extremely high workloads, and may not respond as quickly as patients demand. This can lead to significant numbers of complaints, as patients do not feel as if their needs are being addressed in a timely fashion.

• Poor food quality. Long the bane of every healthcare facility, complaints about food, both in quality and in variety, have risen in recent years. While it impossible to cater to every taste while providing healthy, nutritious meal options, nursing homes need to take a proactive approach in addressing food quality issues.

• Staffing issues. With some facilities facing serious staffing shortages and high workloads among existing staff, patients in these nursing homes often feel as if their needs are not being met. Complaints arise regarding patient lifting equipment, under-trained staff members, and a host of related issues surrounding care delivery and staff responsiveness.

• A lack of social interaction. Many elderly patients grow to feel isolated from the world around them. Dwindling family visits are often the cause for this isolated feeling, and patients come to expect that staff members replace family in social interactions. Unfortunately, staff members do not have the time and may not have the training for this role.

• Disruptions in sleep. Care never stops in nursing homes; these facilities provide around-the-clock care for residents. Interruptions in sleep, such as when staff members stop in to take vital signs or to deliver medication, are common. Residents often complain about loud neighbors and even the conversations between workers during nighttime hours.

Handling Common Complaints: Reducing Liability Exposures

Forward-thinking nursing homes and skilled care facilities understand that they are not only healthcare providers but also customer service-oriented operations. To address complaints and to improve service, many of these facilities have adopted unique approaches. Regular review of policies and procedures is typically the first step in reducing complaints. Many facilities will seek the input of patients and family members, usually through some form of survey instrument. With this information, the facility can then create initiatives to address common complaints. As mentioned earlier, food-related complaints are very common in any healthcare facility. To address this, facilities often create long-term food rotation schedules, such as four-week rotations. These facilities may also seek higher-quality food vendors and enhance presentation of food items to head off any potential complaints. Staff training and retraining is an important part of risk management, just as is nursing home insurance. By making sure staff members are equipped with the knowledge and skill needed to provide expert care, complaints tend to plummet. With these practices, nursing homes can continue to provide care for the many patients who rely on their service. Being responsive to emerging complaints is a powerful risk management tool, helping to improve the quality of care and the life of so many elderly citizens.

Choosing and Evaluating a Nursing Home

Can there be a more difficult job than finding a nursing home for a parent or spouse? No one wants to live in a nursing home. They serve as institutions of last resort when it’s impossible to provide the necessary care in any other setting. And, typically, the search takes place under the gun when a hospital or rehabilitation center is threatening discharge or it’s no longer possible for the loved one to live at home. Finally, in most cases, finding the right nursing home is a once-in-a-lifetime task, one you’re taking on without the experience of having done it before. That said, there are a few rules of thumb that can help you:

• Location. No single factor is more important to quality of care and quality of life of a nursing home resident than visits by family members. The quality of care is often better if the facility staff knows that someone who cares is watching and involved. Visits can be the high point of the day or week for the nursing home resident. So, make it as easy as possible for family members and friends to visit.

• Get references. Ask the facility to provide the names of family members of residents so you can ask them about the care provided in the facility and the staff’s responsiveness when the resident or relatives raise concerns.

• Check certifying agency reports. Medicare’s Nursing Home Compare is a free site that allows consumers to compare the quality of the nursing homes they’re considering, using Five-Star Quality Ratings, health inspection results, nursing home staff data, quality measures, and fire safety inspection results.

• Talk to the nursing home administrator or nursing staff about how care plans are developed for residents and how they respond to concerns expressed by family members. Make sure you are comfortable with the response. It is better that you meet with and ask questions of the people responsible for care and not just the person marketing the facility.

• Tour the nursing home. Try not to be impressed by a fancy lobby or depressed by an older, more rundown facility. What matters most is the quality of care and the interactions between staff and residents. See what you pick up about how well residents are attended to and whether they are treated with respect. Also, investigate the quality of the food service. Eating is both a necessity and a pleasure that continues even when we’re unable to enjoy much else. It is also advisable to try and get a tour of the facility that is not prearranged. While this is not always possible, it does give you the opportunity of seeing an unrehearsed atmosphere.

How Much Does a Nursing Home Cost?

Nursing home care is likely more expensive than you think, which means you need to do your homework to find the best deal. The average total cost for a nursing home is higher than you might think – way higher. According to industry data, the average cost of a nursing home residence, is $8,121 a month for a private room, and $7,148 a month for a semi-private room. Both figures represent total costs for nursing home care monthly, including room, board, fees, and ancillary expenses charged by nursing home (also called a skilled nursing facility.) The factors that matter when calculating the total cost of a nursing home stay rarely vary. The top of that list includes the quality and location of the nursing home residence, how long the stay will be the nursing home care recipient, and the number and quality of specific senior home care services required by the recipient and his or her family. Those extra charges could be for a wide menu of services, including physical therapy, memory care, prescription drug purchase and/or delivery, special meals based on dietary needs, and other critical services a nursing home resident may need. That’s why an all-inclusive nursing home care rate is advisable for seniors and their families. It gives you a total cost estimate and you may get discounts on key services for paying for an all-inclusive senior care center plan. It’s also worth noting that nursing home care on all levels outpaces the U.S. rate of inflation, by an average of 3%-to-6% annual cost growth rate for nursing homes versus the current U.S. inflation rate of 1.8% through July 2019. Put that calculating factor into play and the expected cost of annual nursing home care for a semi-private room rises to $120,008 and the cost of a private room soars to $134,896 in 2028.

Comparative Costs

With the costs of nursing home care so high – even for a semi-private room – Utah seniors and their families may want to set their sights lower and pay a more affordable rate of senior home care or assisted living care even if that means foregoing the nursing home care experience.

There are two ways of looking at the costs of nursing home care versus assisted living.

• First, you’re getting more comprehensive care, including 24-hour medical services, from a nursing home.

• Second, you’re paying significantly less for assisted-living care, which costs approximately 50% less (depending on where you live) compared to nursing home care. If you’re a senior with a family able to pitch in for care needs, the price difference is hard to ignore, as most Americans can hardly afford $8,000 or even $6,000 a month for full-time nursing home care.

Home-based senior care has a quality of life advantage built into the equation, like most seniors, if health allows, would rather stay in the comfort and safety of their own home than have to live in a nursing home or even spend time at an assisted care center. Base costs for home care do come in much lower than a nursing home or even assisted-living care, but there are plenty of add-ons and caveats that can add to the cost of home-based senior care.

Is Nursing Home Care Tax Deductible?

The short answer is yes, nursing home care and most professional senior care costs can be tax-deductible as legitimate medical expenses. You can deduct the full cost of nursing home care if you or your spouse or dependent resides in a nursing home care for medical/health care reasons. In that scenario, you can deduct the whole cost of nursing home care, including room, board, and meals. The IRS is prickly about seniors opting for nursing home care for non-medical reasons and doesn’t allow for deductions for seniors who reside in a nursing home for personal reasons (i.e., they like the environment and the facility, and are there for reasons other than health issues.) That “medical versus personal” area is a gray one in the eyes of the IRS, so it’s best to work with a trusted accountant or tax specialist to make sure you’re making the correct call when listing a nursing home expense as a deduction on your taxes.

Choosing the Right Nursing Home

Now that you’re more aware of the cost of a nursing home, what are the best action steps to take to choose the right one for yourself or a loved one?

If you or a family member has a close relationship with their physicians or has spent time in a hospital and care clinic, take advantage of that proximity to knowledge and ask a doctor, nurse or clinician for their “top votes” for nursing home care centers near you.

What matters to you in a nursing home selection process is a big issue and needs to be prioritized. If it’s the location to family, quality of the facility (i.e. cleanliness or access to regular medical care), good meals, or access to favored religious services, that matter, then say so upfront when you’re visiting home and vetting it.

Ask your friends, neighbors, and co-workers if they have any tips or inside knowledge on local nursing homes. Social media, the Better Business Bureau, and even local law enforcement or community centers are a good place to go fishing for solid nursing home information. Visit the Center and Ask Other Families and Residents Staying There Besides asking for references, which should be a staple when you’re vetting a nursing home, ask residents and their families what they like and don’t like about the facility. Anyone who spends regular time at a nursing home should be a great source of information and red flags concerning that facility. So make sure to ask around when you’re on site.

Medicaid is one of the most common ways to pay for a nursing home when you have no money available. Even if you have had too much money to qualify for Medicaid in the past, you may find that you are eligible for Medicaid nursing home care because the income limits are higher for this purpose. The specific income requirements will depend on your state. As it is a separate program, Medicare does not pay for long-term nursing home care, although in some cases, the insurance will cover a short-term stay (under 100 days) in a nursing home. Another option is to seek assistance from your state’s agency in the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging. This government program helps seniors access the local financial assistance services available to them.

Can I Be Kicked Out of My Assisted Living Community or Nursing Home if I Can’t Pay?

Once you find an assisted living community or nursing home you can afford in the present, it is important to ensure you can afford to stay there in the future if your resources run out. Always ask to see the care company’s policy in writing, so you know what will happen if your money runs out. In most cases, the bottom line is that yes, the care home can evict a resident who can no longer afford to pay. The requirements to kick a resident out for failure to pay vary from state to state. Generally, assisted living and nursing homes must notify you and your family at least 30 days before discharge, and also create a report summarizing your current mental and physical health status and your post-discharge plan of care.

If your money runs out and your family is not able to step in and cover costs, your options will depend on your state and whether you are residing in an assisted living or nursing home. At a nursing home, federal law entitles you to the right to file a hardship waiver with your state’s Department of Health and Human Services. A hardship waiver must document how the move would endanger your health or your access to shelter and food. While a federal hardship waiver does not apply to assisted living facilities, you can still reach out to government agencies, such as your Area Agency on Aging or your local long-term care ombudsman, which every state is required to have under the Federal Older Americans Act. Your ombudsman may be able to negotiate with the facility, secure financial aid to pay for your care or find you a new home. Finally, a lawyer may take your case and help you.

Elder Law Attorney

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The post Nursing Homes In Utah first appeared on Michael Anderson.

from Michael Anderson https://www.ascentlawfirm.com/nursing-homes-in-utah/

[bestreasonstowriterecordreviews]

Yea, we’re headed out with our wallets open in the wind this weekend too. But as we did previously in 2016 and 2015, we suggest, if you’re comfortable enough as a vagabond of the western world, please consider donating a fraction of this week’s discretionary income to one of the worthy organizations listed below…that way, when you scroll your uglies into Fuckin’ Record Reviews’ BEST REASONS TO WRITE FUCKIN’ RECORD REVIEWS IN 2017 and revisit BEST REASONS TO WRITE FUCKIN’ RECORD REVIEWS IN 2016, BEST REASONS TO WRITE FUCKIN’ RECORD REVIEWS IN 2015 and 2014 and 2013, you won’t feel as bad about yourself as you normally do. Someone, somewhere will give thanks.  Thanks!

Fuckin’ Record Reviews endorses the agendas of the following organizations, each of which includes localized links after the respective jump:

BATTLE FOR NET NEUTRALITY: Imagine you’d have to pay extra for access to Fuckin’ Record Reviews! Egads!!! “Net neutrality is the principle that Internet providers like Comcast & Verizon should not control what we see and do online. In 2015, startups, Internet freedom groups, and 3.7 million commenters won strong net neutrality rules from the US Federal Communication Commission (FCC). The rules prohibit Internet providers from blocking, throttling, and paid prioritization—"fast lanes" for sites that pay, and slow lanes for everyone else.”

SAVE DACA LIVES via HERE TO STAY:  “On September 5th, Donald Trump ended any renewals and new applications for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, taking away work permits and deportation protection from almost 1 million immigrant youth. Congress must pass a clean Dream Act before going home in December! Tweet these stories to Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and demand a clean Dream Act by December 2017.

COALITION TO STOP GUN VIOLENCE: “CSGV’s guiding principle is simple. We believe that all Americans have a right to live in communities free from gun violence.”

SECULAR COALITION OF AMERICA: “Our mission is to increase the visibility of and respect for nontheistic viewpoints in the United States, and to protect and strengthen the secular character of our government as the best guarantee of freedom for all.”

NATIONAL ALLIANCE ON MENTAL ILLNESS: “What started as a small group of families gathered around a kitchen table in 1979 has blossomed into the nation’s leading voice on mental health. Today, we are an association of hundreds of local affiliates, state organizations and volunteers who work in your community to raise awareness and provide support and education that was not previously available to those in need.”

PLANNED PARENTHOOD: “In October 2016, Planned Parenthood turned 100 years strong. Planned Parenthood was founded on the revolutionary idea that women should have the information and care they need to live strong, healthy lives and fulfill their dreams — no ceilings, no limits. Learn more about how 100 years of care, education, and activism have changed everything. Today, Planned Parenthood is a trusted health care provider, an informed educator, a passionate advocate, and a global partner helping similar organizations around the world. Planned Parenthood delivers vital reproductive health care, sex education, and information to millions of women, men, and young people worldwide.”

CLINIC VEST PROJECT: “The mission of the Clinic Vest Project is to provide FREE clinic escort vests to groups that service facilities that support the full range of reproductive health options including safe and legal abortion.”

U.S. COMMITTEE FOR REFUGEES AND IMMIGRANTS (USCRI): “For over 100 years, we have advanced the rights and lives of those who have lost or left their homes. We believe we have a shared responsibility to clear obstacles and uncover opportunities for people everywhere. So, when lives are uprooted by force or by choice, we fight alongside those on the path to independence.”

THE TREVOR PROJECT: “The Trevor Project is the leading national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) young people ages 13-24.”

AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION (ACLU): “The ACLU is non-profit and non-partisan. We do not receive any government funding. Member dues and contributions and grants from private foundations and individuals pay for the work we do. The ACLU, with headquarters in New York City, litigates across the nation and all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. Our Washington, D.C., legislative office lobbies the U.S. Congress. We use strategic communications to educate the public about issues. And the ACLU has expanded its reach by applying international human rights standards in our complex Post 9/11 world. A number of national projects address specific civil liberties issues: AIDS, capital punishment, lesbian and gay rights, immigrants’ rights, prisoners’ rights, reproductive freedom, voting rights, women’s rights and workplace rights.”

NATIONAL ABORTION AND REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS ACTION LEAGUE (NARAL PRO-CHOICE AMERICA): “NARAL Pro-Choice America uses numerous tactics to lobby for liberalized access to abortion, both in the U.S. and elsewhere. It sponsors lawsuits against governments and hospitals, donates money to politicians supportive of abortion rights through its political action committee, and organizes its members to contact members of Congress and urge them to support NARAL’s positions.”

THE JEREMY WILSON FOUNDATION MUSICIANS’ EMERGENCY HEALTHCARE FUND: “…a safety net for musicians and their families when facing debilitating medical crisis. The JWF creates better access to resources and information to help improve the state of musicians’ health and healthcare, and, in turn, their careers and financial and overall well-being.”

SOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER: “Your gift will help win justice on behalf of those who have no other champion, expose and fight the hate that thrives in our country, and provide tolerance education materials free of charge to schools across our nation.”

NATIONAL NETWORK OF ABORTION FUNDS: “The National Network of Abortion Funds works to make sure that all people can get the abortions they seek. If you are seeking help paying for an abortion, we are here today to help you get what you need. The local abortion funds in our organization help people pay for abortions they can’t otherwise afford.”

EMILY’S LIST: “We elect pro-choice Democratic women to office.”

BRADY CAMPAIGN TO PREVENT GUN VIOLENCE: “The mission of the Brady organization is to create a safer America for all of us that will lead to a dramatic reduction in gun deaths and injuries. Of the 32,000 people who die from gun violence in this country each year, how many could be saved? Brady has announced the bold goal to cut the number of U.S. gun deaths in half by 2025, based on an innovative and exciting strategy that centers on the idea of keeping guns out of the wrong hands through three impact-driven, broadly engaging campaigns: (1) a policy focus to “Finish the Job” so that life-saving Brady background checks are applied to all gun sales; (2) to “Stop ‘Bad Apple’ Gun Dealers” – the 5 percent of gun dealers that supply 90 percent of all crime guns; and (3) to lead a new national conversation and change social norms around the real dangers of guns in the home, to prevent the homicides, suicides, and unintentional shootings that happen every day as a result.”

WFMU: the premier “…listener-supported, non-commercial radio station broadcasting at 91.1 Mhz FM in Jersey City, NJ, right across the Hudson from lower Manhattan. It is currently the longest running freeform radio station in the United States.”

[askingexorcists]

How would Rin and Yukio handle their child if they were self-harmful or suicidal because they disliked being part demon? (Bonus points if you do Amaimon, Mephisto and Lucifer!)

Trigger warning? Mention of self harm

Rin:

He would of known he had to deal with this the minute he found out he was going to be a father

He wanted to raise his child like how his father raised him, but chose not to hide their demonic identity 

He tried to teach his child that not all demons were bad, which he did, but he could’t stop people from hating on them anyways

He feels so utterly helpless

He doesn’t know what to say to them because honestly he feels the same way

Once he finds out there hurting themselves he’ll go insane

At first he has no idea why they would even consider hurting themselves 

Like how did they even get this idea?

He’s confused, and panicking, and mostly scared

Even if their demonic abilities let them heal 

It’s still the most terrifying thing in the world to him

He pleads you to stop

He makes sure any sharp objects are kept out of view

He even pre-cuts all your food for you so you can’t use a knife

But he still panics, because he can’t take away your claws, or your fangs, or your flames

He eventually breaks down and apologises to you that he can’t do anything

“I’m sorry that this is what you are, and I can’t fix this! I want to give you everything I can and more, but I can’t do this. I understand better then anyone how you feel, but this is not the way to cope! Please don’t do this to yourself, your everything to your mother and me. We want you to be happy, and proud of who you are. Being half demon does mean your discriminated against, but it also means your a valuable ally to those who trust you, and your friends trust you. Your so strong, and totally badass, and you shouldn’t be ashamed of yourself!”

Yukio:

He also thought about this upon his s/o’s pregnancy news

Yukio would immediately seek medical help for his child once he finds out they are self harming

He has so many questions

Why would anyone do this to themselves?

How did they even consider this?

Does it really make the pain go away?

He’s more of a psychical doctor rather than a mental doctor, but he believes that there are others who can help

He’ll be angry and unreasonable with them, which makes his child feel worse

But it’s only because he cares so much

He never wanted his child to live this life

Apologises to them for how this happened

He’s always been strict for their demonic side to say stable

He’ll makes sure they attend regular therapy sessions

He’ll treat them like an infant and be more cautious around them

Tbh if he doesn’t have his own demonic powers by time he’s a dad he’s gonna be hella pissed

Mephisto:

He’s actually really surprised

He never expected this from his child

His child would be spoilt from the minute they were born

Mephisto never expected his child to have any problems other then the obvious ones you’d expect

He wants to show his child how being a demon is the best way, and something to be proud of

And ofc he know’s the basic demon etiquette 

Once he finds out their self harming, he’ll drop everything

He’s so alarmed they went to this length

“Sweetie, no no no, you don’t want to do this to yourself, Daddy loves you a lot you know, now sit down and tell me whats wrong, okay?”

He’ll try to talk things out with them, and try make them see reason

His child the most important person to him

He tries make them comfortable and feel like their in a safe environment

And whilst he may not be the best at showing care he is the best as giving protection, although he never considered protection from themselves would be necessary 

He wants the best solution for them

He would spend any amount of money on the best medication, the best therapy program, the best rehab facility, but in the end it all comes down to them and what they are most comfortable with

Amaimon:

Honestly has no idea what you mean?

Why would you dislike being part demon?

He’s never questioned his nature, so why should his child?

He would tell them ‘It’s okay’ and ‘It doesn’t matter’, because he doesn’t understand what they are saying

If they repeatedly keep bringing it up, and complaining about it, he may get mad

Especially if word got around, or if they said it in public

He would be so embarrassed that a child of his, a child in relation to Satan, hated being a demon

Satan already has Rin and Yukio as his ‘bastard children’

As for the self harm, he couldst care less

He would be more confused then anything

He’d just hang above your bed from your ceiling, hovering over you

Repeatedly asking what your doing, and why your purposely hurting yourself

He can’t understand the concept of it

He wonders if it’s some game or something humans do

So he probably tries it

Finds it boring an doesn’t continue playing 

Lucifer:

He would be embarrassed and outraged at this

A child who doesn’t want to be a demon?

To him most humans are worthless, other then the ones who help out in his work, he cant stand them

Only humans he deems dedicated to the Illuminati can be trusted

So to find out his own child is having these thoughts displeasures him greatly

He attempts not to let this out in the open

And urges his child to stay quiet

When he finds out his child is harming themselves he will be concerned immediately 

Although he’s strict with his child, he does care greatly

Mainly because that child would be an excellent research factor

A perfect vessel, and a step forward for his organisation 

And he wouldn’t want any harm to come for it

He may also care for his child as well, more so if the child was created with a person he truly loved, and not just for research purposes

He would have someone he trusted monitor his child, who he would isolate for their own safety and for observation 

He reads up on this ‘self harming’ to learn more to help out

[aced0gsbackupblog]

Au Wishlist Page

http://fluffybanner.tumblr.com/auwishlist

[if any of these interest you feel free to send me a message and we can plot]

Winged AU:

Bruce had been born with small black wings. It marked him as a freak from birth, but his mother always tried to spin it in a positive light. She would call him her little angel, and encourage him that it wasn’t something to be ashamed of. Though, upon her passing his father quickly made sure that Bruce understood what his wings meant. That he was a freak, and he should do everything possible to hide it. His father even went as far to break his son’s wings so that Bruce could no longer move them without being in some amount of pain. Bruce did get them removed once, but after the gamma accident they were back and larger than before. Instead of being black, though, they were bright green with black stripes. Bruce still does his best to hide them. He doesn’t really take care of his wings, and there are often feathers scattered across whatever room he’s been in recently.

Extreme PTSD AU:

So in this au Bruce would have been a marine medical officer and done a lot of time in the field. He would have been honorably discharged after surviving a surprise attack on his base where he was the only survivor. Not much is known about what happened during the attack. All that anybody knows was that Bruce was found covered in blood and shaking, surrounded by dead enemies. Bruce grew very inward after he got home. He was never close to his father, and his mother had passed away from cancer when he was a kid. His left leg was decimated in the attack, bones were broken, things snapped, and he was hemorrhaging blood from a nick to his femoral artery. His only option for survival was an amputation. Bruce was given a PTSD specialized service dog and he has to go to group therapy, otherwise his only other option would be a residential place for veterans like him. Bruce does suffer from DID and the Hulk is still a component, but there’s not really a physical change. His dog knows how to calm Bruce down during those times.

The Forgotten Prince AU:

The Banner family had always been known for the kind and forgiving queen and the ruthless king. Together they brought a son into the world, though many were scared to visit the castle. They feared saying something wrong and upsetting the king. There was one who arrived, a powerful witch who grew annoyed by the king’s rude behavior. She cursed him and his family. The king was turned into stone and shattered, the queen into a beautiful and eternal rose. Their young son, being just a baby, was given an easier fate. He was cursed to transform into a terrible dragon that breathed green flames whenever he grew angry. There were only a few people who stayed in the castle after the curse. None of the citizens dared to stay, their hope lost. Their king was dead and the queen unable to do anything but watch from her garden. The citizens were terrified of the cursed child and decided to leave their homes and seek refuge elsewhere. A few of the castle servants decided to stay and try to raise the young prince despite the difficulties of the curse. As Bruce grew, his kingdom and family name were forgotten and turned to myth and legend. He knows how to control his temper, and he wants to explore the world, but is terrified that someone will hunt him down thinking him an actual dragon. When he is calm Bruce looks relatively normal. The only difference being his sharp canine teeth and reptile like pupils. He wants to visit other kingdoms and interact with people that aren’t his adopted parents.

Vampire AU:

Bruce had been but a humble doctor back in the 1700’s of Ireland. He was just trying to help people as much as he could, making house calls despite the dangers of traveling at night. He never believed those he claimed vampires roamed the night until he was attacked. The vampire nearly drained him before deciding they wanted to turn him. He had been horrified upon waking up, and the thirst he felt inside seemed like it would never be quenched. For years he was known as the shadow in the night. As a newborn vampire he had been ruthless, draining victims young and old until he felt like he’d had enough. Many people tried to hunt him down, some almost succeeded, but he always managed to outsmart them. Eventually Bruce began to regain some of his humanness and he realized the atrocities he had committed. He tried to destroy himself, but he always backed out in the last second. There were many years where Bruce let himself starve until he simply could not fight off his hunger any longer. It was only when he traveled to America that he evened out. He would only drink what he needed to. He continued to study the medical field and kept himself hidden in the background. During modern times Bruce works mainly at night. He takes blood from the hospital, considering it the lesser of two evils. He tries to avoid any contact with other vampires unless they lead their lives like he does. He can go out during the day time, but he needs to be wearing sunscreen and sunglasses.

Zombie Apocalypse AU:

When the Virus first broke out Bruce was one of the lead researchers. He worked day and night trying to find a cure, or anything that would help people survive during these trying times. When his facility was attacked by the undead he was sure that he would die or be turned, but unlike some of his colleagues he couldn’t bring himself to end it all before the undead could. He was bitten before he locked himself away. Bruce waited it out, waiting for the change to happen, to lose his mind and become one of the awful creatures outside his door, but it never came. When he became conscious again he was no different and the bite had turned to a puffy scar on his arm. Bruce was furious that he hadn’t known he was immune before. Upon his discovery he gathered as much equipment as he could carry before sneaking out of the facility. Bruce is not in a good mental state. He blames himself for the apocalypse because he couldn’t make the cure in time. He’s terrified of traveling with anyone because he doesn’t want them to shoot him if he gets bit. Bruce isn’t the best fighter, but he does try when he has to. He uses an iron ax strapped to his back. His base is up high and he’s locked and sealed any door that could be opened from the other side. The only way in is to climb. He has numerous scars from being bitten, and he doesn’t seem to care too much about keeping himself safe and out of harms way.

Sherlock Holmes AU:

Set in the original time period of the Sherlock Holmes stories, Bruce would be the genius detective that is quite lacking in social skills. His brother Henry (AKA Hulk) wouldn’t be as smart as Bruce, but what he lacks in brains he makes up for in brawn. As children the two stuck together and were thicker than thieves. Henry would beat up anyone who messed with his brother, and Bruce picked up pick pocketing like it was a skill he had been born with. When the two grew older, though, they went their separate ways. Bruce pursuing a career in solving crimes and being able to focus on his inventions during his free time, and Henry sort of sticking to the life he had always lived. Henry is no goon to be hired of course, but some of the choices he makes can be considered questionable. Bruce is sometimes considered eccentric, unsociable, and rude, but it’s simply because he has the hardest time understanding emotions. He can feel them. He knows what they are, but when it comes to identifying them it’s the only thing he finds himself at a loss with.