December was an interesting month I love learning things and December was a great month for my learning new things. Some of the things were surprising, some pleasant, some discouraging and some that made me think the WikiLeaks Task Force acronym. I'd like to share a few with you. The Federal Government has run
amuck! The rules, regulations and interference in daily life is just
unbelievable! Can you believe that maple syrup producers are receiving
letters from the government asking if they have "secured" their
"sap lines against terrorism"! Words fail me....
Speaking of words failing me, who in the Federal
government named the WikiLeaks Task Force and did the acronym? Really
now...does anyone think WTF is a good acronym?
---
The nicest surprise was learning about ServiceLink. I
had seen the sign by the corner of Pleasant St. and Sullivan St in
Claremont many times but never gave it any thought. Then I received
an invitation to an open house for the Caregiver Connection Program
at ServiceLink. I accepted the invitation and am glad that I did!
Being the youngest child of the
youngest child in a large family, and being the only nurse in the group, has
frequently put me in a position of responsibility when a family member was
ill or dying.
This can be an extremely stressful position!
Fortunately for me, I usually knew who to reach out to for information I
needed and was always able to call on others for assistance in giving the
care needed. Not everyone is that blessed. There can be so many different
needs to fill - it's very hard to know how to take care of them all, or
where to go to get help doing this. This is exactly where ServiceLink comes
into the picture here in New Hampshire.
ServiceLink Resource Center is a state agency
that is run on the local level. Each county has it's own office and the
offices do not have to run all their work through a central state office.
The people I spoke with said they can frequently supply the advice or help
needed the same day. (I like the local control because it means there is
less bureaucracy for a person to deal with. It makes the agency more
efficient and reduces the risk of fraud and waste – both of which seem to
be unavoidable elements in government-run programs.)
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There are no fees or eligibility requirements
for people to use the services at ServiceLink. It is supported by money from
the local, state and federal governments and grants. It also uses local
volunteers who are willing to help their neighbors. (I'm sure more
volunteers could always be used! Hey, how about you high school students who
need to do community service; this is a great opportunity to fulfill your
requirements.)
ServiceLink's purpose is to provide information and
supportive referrals about resources for older adults, adults living
with disabilities or chronic illness, their families and caregivers.
The aim is to maintain independent living and healthy aging. (This
in turn keeps a better quality of life for recipients and saves a
lot of money. Nursing homes and assisted living facilities are
expensive!) The people at ServiceLink listen to your needs, respect
your privacy and help you find answers. Whether its learning what
resources are available to assist you, help filling out
applications, or just finding someone to help with shoveling the
snow or mowing the lawn, ServiceLink can help.
The Caregiver Program can be
very helpful if you have a family member who needs extra care. All too often
the stress and strain of being a caregiver causes the caregiver to die
before the person needing the care. Helping to relieve that stress is what
the Caregiver Program is about. What they can do to help really surprised
me. I think this is a great program and encourage people to check it out!
--- Most of the discouraging
surprises came from the Lame Duck congress – especially the Senate! I knew
that the lame duck congress could still bite but I didn't expect it to have
the teeth and jaws of Tyrannosaurus Rex!! What on earth got into the
"Republican" Senators? They certainly gave the liberals and Obama
nice Christmas gifts!
I
was glad to learn:
It surprised me to learn about an "inventory tax" for small businesses here in New Hampshire. My feeling about this is that it has to hurt businesses but I haven't been able to find any details about it. I read an overview of the NH BET and BPT taxes on businesses but didn't see an "inventory tax".....The business people I spoke with said they use accountants and couldn't really explain it to me. So, if anyone really knows/understands about this tax, would you be so kind as to explain it to me? Thank you.
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