Dear Friends,

I was trying to brain storm to see if their maybe a work from home or some type of small business idea anyone could think of for a chroinic painer.
I have some thought to consider a small business of some kind for my 32 year old son and myself.

Our background is in law enforcement and security. He is good with computers but no repair work, or netwoking ability...too stressful.
Very mechanically inclined.

Can cook really well, I have BA in social work, criminal justice....
Thought about catering?
Not into doing home cleaning business.
Don't have the strength to get into hiring security guards for a security business....But wonder about consulting? Maybe installing video or home alarm systems?

Not child care, to emotional after losing my daughter.
Not Ebay, to much thought processing to keep up, I think for now anyway.

That is as far as I got...We both have bad back, migraines, carpal tunnel.
etc.
Any other ideas?
Thanks,
Dianne

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 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

Hi DiMarie,

Whether you work at home or start running a small business, you must have
a good computer (I mean fast processing, responding etc...) and ergonomic accessories. And yes, they cost.

But once the ball starts rolling, you can earn more than what you would spend for the PC and other stuff.

Nobody knows what skills you have will help bring food on the table and pay the bills. As for me, being TOS has actually led me to work as a medical translator.
While struggling with collecting information on TOS, I somehow built up medical knowledge and developed the effective ways of net search.
Especially, this forum taught (has taught) me a lot of med. terms and human anatomy. I really appreciate every single one of you here

Well, enough about me.
I think the security consultant sounds good as you and others said.
Need more brainstorming, though.

Gotta go to bed.
Yasuko

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!

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.

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. 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.