OT a work from home or small business idea
 

di

what about home safety and security evaluations? check out peoples homes on what they could improve on? or even being a rep for a home secuty system biz?

i'm in the same boat. with grandmonkey and my back, a conventional job doesn't work. trying to do what all idid before for the club at home..doesn't work with a 5 yr old either.

my stress level hs been toohigh and i;m on dialup :rolleyes: to do ebay right now. that or other online selling does interst me very much.

i would love to have a little store. sell my crafts and other peoples. i was telling hubby just today, that if i could figure out a way to put one in the club, i would.

You would be a great patient advocate......taking elderly people to their doctors appointments and explaining the meds/changes in treatment to family members.

You should have your MD by default by now :wink:

computer computer computer
 

I was surprised to find quite a few possibles on Craigslist for my area -
under the [etc] and [part time]

http://scranton.craigslist.org/searc...Four=part-time

seems like many are from small business needing just a bit of help- would be a way to test the waters to see what might fit or get more ideas from.

I think the security consultant thing would be awesome for you- your core target group could be small businesses, single women & moms.
They might be more comfortable dealing with a woman esp a former police chief.
I bet a perfect niche for you!

Good to see you post Yasuko!
 

Yasuko, It is so wonderful to read you!! I wonder often how you are feeling and if you found a good treating doctor. What is it that your work does. Transcribe from doctors dictation?
do have a brand new supped up computer and lap top. With my social security ticket to work I receieved the lap top and software and great printer.

Thanks all for the info and thoughts. Brain storming helps a lot.
LOL, Jo there were a few real intersting jobs listed. The one for court investagator, our county is not one participating, the other counties a re too far to travel. There was one for legal assisting. I wonder if I can advertise to attorneys to review cases to "discover" the smoking gun and shoot down the defendants point of few???

Oh, there was Servers at Adult entertainment and Surroget too, LOL.
I think I am too old and too droopy.

I think the idea of security consultant is good....wonder about fees, I was more into investagating shoplifters when I did security, not to the implemantation of technology. BUT I could learn that.
I do excellant work preparing resumes too, so that my be something to help with a few dollars and get my feet wet.

Our grant at work was cut in half, and the program may not receive any funding next year, and I want to also prepare for my son to do some kind of work too.

I like the idea of providing home security and making all ages and families safe too. Personal safety, travel, and homes....

Maybe the son can work on a business plan and see how he feels.
Any other thoughts, keep them coming.
Thanks Di

di...an the home safety and securty theme...what about adding...especially for the senior market or disabled..making your home accident safe? more accesable?

with the senoir population booming and many moving in with other family members...might be nitch.

oh..and on a personal note on how familiescould use this. grandmonkey who is *gasp* 13 now, went to a friends house last week. SHE had to tell her friend that people can see into her (friends) bedroom at nght and that she should not be dressing and undressing in there...cuz her curtains are sheer.:eek:

gosh - you'd think her parents would have thought of that possibility!
Peepers!

excellent idea on the senior population too.
Many elderly widows are too trusting or just easy targets for crime.

a small courses or home visits?? for personal safety and how to be aware and protect them self would be a good thing.

LOL...jo..here is a good one about a grown man...my hubby. when we were dating he had an apartment on the 3rd floor. he never closed his blinds. he figured people couldn't see him so far up.

i was a bit early one night and boy did i get a show. LOL. i called him from my cell phone sitting in my car. :D he could see me plane as day. duh..i said...if you can see me...i can see YOU!

then he turned his blinds...the wrong way and i could still see him LOL. he is not mr common sense.

i really like the course idea. might be something partment complexes would want to offer.

DiMarie,
I think Finz and Curious had great ideas. The "senior" group is booming and there is a big demand for people who can come in and offer a particular expertise. My husband and I both have mothers who live alone- his is in her mid 70's and mine is in her late 60's. His mother is in very bad health but refuses any help or to leave her home. My mother is in better shape but there's still alot of things she just can't do anymore. Of course I know you'd have to work around your health problems but with your degree I think you could almost build your business as you go- as in the old saying, "see a need, and fill it". Speaking from my experiences and those of friends and relatives, I can tell you there is a real need for patient advocates, especially for elderly people but also for those who are basically alone and don't know the "ropes" as far as the healthcare system goes. There is also a need for people that will drive patients to dr.'s appts. and for hospital procedures. Afterall, what do people do who have nobody in their area to drive them if they're not able? There might also be a need for an advocate in the hosp. The security idea is also good- as in checking their homes for problems. Maybe you could charge a monthly "fee" for the service- and make it include a once or twice a month "visit" to check on their security and see if anything needs changing,etc. There are also people who need help with shopping- would your son be able to bring in groceries for someone who is homebound? What about you helping someone plan nutritional meals or maybe you could "cater" something simple and easy to reheat. Or make sure their prescriptions are filled and that they understand when to take it and how- like some meds can't be combined with others and some can't be taken with grapefruit juice,etc.- and ALOT of people simply don't know this. My grandmother died a couple of years ago at age 98 and she LOVED to read all of her life, but she couldn't drive anymore to get herself to the library so my mother went regularly for her- that's another idea. Could your son and you do some light housekeeping? Sometimes it's hard for people, especially after surgery, to change their sheets or wash a load of clothes. There's also a need for people who will "sit" with people who are recovering from surgery or an illness- they don't always need a nurse, but someone who is there if needed. I will tell you that alot of elderly people are really afraid of having strangers in the house and are worried about the honesty of people they allow in their homes so with your law background that would probably make a big difference. You could basically set your own hours. I think there's a huge market for something like this- alot of baby boomers are looking for people to help their parents if they can't be there. I think you would be perfect for something like this. I'll try to see if I can come up with anything else.

Edited to add- Here's another thought- Could your son set up DVD players and other electronic equipment for senior citizens or anybody who is "technology challenged"? I say this because when my mother bought her VHS player years ago and more recently her DVD player, she had NO clue how to hook it up to her TV and had to wait until my son was up there to do it for her, and to show her how to use it. The same goes for setting up computers for people who know nothing about 'em.

Hi DiMarie,
 

There are groups that help people get meds and other things paid for by phone.

I'll explain better. We have a group here that gets on the phone and fights insurance companies for meds and medical care, fights public places to get ramps and automatic doors.

This group here is federaly funded. They have helped me several times and they have also asked me to start a chapter here in this area but I don't even know if I could handle the stress of phone calls although I have fought enough people to get the help I need. LOL. I've learned not to give up.

It's just a thought. I don't know if they have anything like that but you might want to check and see if there are any government jobs you can run from your home such as this one.

I could give you the no. of the people who run this one here if you ever want to find out if there are any in your area or if you want to start one.

I sell antiques. I have done that for years.

Another thing I do is make jewelry. I have a jewelry making kit and have made turquoise jewelry and others for years. Consignment shops will sell it for a person.

As far as your son, is he into making any kind of crafts. I realize you don't get rich off of them but they do bring in extra income. Yard ornaments are a big thing nowadays.

Like you, my brain doesn't work well enough to do a lot of things right now but watch out when they turn on this VNS, I might run for President. LOL

Ada

My 2 cents
 

I am not the go getter type. I knit and crochet and then I donate the stuff to my local hospital. Their senior group gets tons of yarn donations so we sort of trade stuff for free yarn.

Sure I may be killing my arms in the process, but I'm a little bit saner.

Another idea
 

Di, how about developing and marketing programs to schools and programs that serve children/teens on topics like School Violence, Bullying/Harassment,
Internet Safety/Predators, The Consequences of Driving Too Fast/When Distracted/1/2 asleep/ On Wet Roads, etc, Drug and Alcohol Abuse?

You could design the programs, one for the students, one for the staff per topic, plus any activities or suggested classwork to go along with each topic, research the need in a particular area and present it to the school or program board for approval. Your son could do the PowerPoint or video to go along with the talk or you could bring in speakers from the people you know from your time as chief or through social services. You could also recommend a security plan for schools, personal safety for children, maybe a driving safety course, and/or simulated "impaired" driving accidents.

They have some done the simulated drunk driving and mock 10 mph crash at the local high school, had a speaker on bullying at the jr high, but could still do more on teen drivers I think, the county next to us has had 15 teens die in last 2 years from car crashes, almost all were high speed, late at night, several kids in the car, and several had alcohol and/or drugs. Bring in some teen to speak whose best friend was killed, or a family member of someone who died as a result of teens speeding. Bring it closer to home for them, stop them thinking "that won't happen to me"!

There was a talk for parents about My SPace and the risks it can offer teens at the library, but I don't think the schools here have done anything about it for the kids. And they have gotten a bit better security-wise, only one door is unlocked during school hours and it opens into the office, but I have no idea if they have a security plan for a school violence situation or what it is (they didn't 8 years ago after Columbine when I asked) - and neither do my kids. I don't want kids scared out of their wits, but I do want them to know what to do "just in case", rather than be sitting ducks, you know?

I bet a lot of other parents would be happy to see the schools and other places where kids attend offering these programs if they aren't doing so now.

My heart and prayers go out to students and faculty at Virginia Tech, the community, the friends and family of the dead and wounded, and especially to those who were present and watched their classmates and professors shot down. What a horrible, horrible, Godless act! I will NEVER understand why people commit these senseless acts. :(

beth

insurance fighter
 

after hurricane ike i met a consultant who advocated for home owners against insurance co, he worked for a % of what $ he could get above what the insurance was offering.

seems like you could do something similar for any type of insurance.

personally i felt the hurricane was a cakewalk compared to insurance and contractor demons who now infest the gulf.