wbon newsletter spring 2006
DESCRIPTION
WBON Newsletter Spring 2006TRANSCRIPT
Book ReviewThe Tipping Point, by Malcolm Gladwell
The subtitle o f this book is “How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference.” These are the magic moments when an idea, trend, or social behavior crosses the threshold, tips, and spreads like wildfire. Just as a sick person can start an epidemic of the flu, so too can a small but precisely targeted push cause a fashion trend, the popularity of a new product, or a drop in crime rate. Malcolm Gladwell explores the tipping point phenomenon and has changed the way people think about selling products and disseminating ideas.
This book is an excellent read. The ideas are well organized and supported with real examples. Gladwell speaks to the three rules of the Tipping Point. They are the Law of the Few, the Stickiness Factor, and the Power of Context. He explains how Tipping Points happen. The Law of the Few says that there are a handful especially gifted people called Connectors who find out about something and their energy, enthusiasm, and personality spreads the word. Stickiness means that a message makes an impact. You can’t get it out of your head. It sticks in your memory. Unless you remember what I tell you, why would you ever change your behavior or buy my product or go see my movie? The Power of Context is about the environment. It refers to the idea that our inner states are the result of our outer circumstances and little things really matter. The features of our social and physical world – the streets we walk down, the people we encounter – play a huge role in shaping who we are and how we act. I highly recommend this book as it is both interesting and insightful. A national bestseller The Tipping Point is available in paperback for $14.95. – By Robin Gronlund, Executive Director of WBON and owner of Intrinsic Marketing
Summer/Fall 2006 Newsletter
Register for the Fall Conference
at www.wbon.org
Mastering Finances:
Essentials for Small Businesses
November 10-11, 2006
Topnotch Resort & Spa- Stowe, VT
Keynote by Hinda Miller, co-founder of Jogbra and VT Senator.
Speakers include: Sherry Prehoda, JMM Associates; Heather
Finley, Ph.D., Balancing Changes; Betsy Walkerman,
Headwaters Strategy; Jo Bradley, CEO, VEDA;
Jeannie Lynch, Key Bank; Wendelyn
Duquette, Quickstart, LLC
4 Summer/Fall2006
WBON Chapter Meetings
Brattleboro, VT3rdWed.ofthemonthLocationvariesLuncheon1–2:30pmCoordinator:TBD
S. Burlington, VT3rdWed.ofthemonthWindjammerHotelLuncheon11:30-1:30Coordinator:[email protected]
Essex Jct., VT4thWed.ofthemonthThreadneedleFabricsEvening6-8pmCoordinator:[email protected]
Upper Valley, NH4thTue.ofthemonthSaltHillPubLunch11:30-1pmCoordinator:[email protected]
Montpelier, VT4thTue.ofthemonthMainStreetGrillDinner6-8pmCoordinator:[email protected]
Malone, NY3rdWed.ofthemonthCoordinators:[email protected]&[email protected]
Stowe, VT3rdTues.ofthemonthSwissPot,MainSt.Dinner5:30-7:30pmCoordinator:[email protected]
If you have any questions or are interested in joining WBON, please contact Robin Gronlund, Executive Director. via email at: [email protected] Or snail mail at: P.O. Box 918, Williston, VT 05495
personal and physical stress-but perhaps the greatest challenge is lost time. The amount of care needed varies for each individual, but on average, caregivers for people over the age of 50 spend an average of over 17 hours per week providing care. Twenty percent of those acting as caregivers for someone over the age of 50 spend over 40 hours per week providing informal care services.
What is the effect of being a caregiver on finances, job, family, and personal health? The direct financial impact of creating an environment where care can be provided for an elderly or disabled individual can be significant. Medical equipment, such as walkers, wheelchairs, and rented hospital beds may be necessary. Modifications to the caregiver’s home such as installation of ramps and railings may also sometimes be required. All these things cost money, plus the cost of home health aides, adult day care, or therapeutic services.
The financial effects can extend to a caregiver’s employment as well. Caregivers may lose wages, benefits, training and career opportunities while tending for loved ones. The caregiver may need to arrive late to work, leave early, or have to take time off during the day due to an emergency. Special work arrangements are often necessary to meet a caregiver’s difficult schedule, arrangements that are not always in a company’s best interest.
While the financial implications that stem from being a primary caregiver are substantial, the emotional impact can be even greater. Lack of help from relatives can cause family conflicts. Caregiving responsibilities take time away from other family members and leisure activities. People investing long hours into the care of a loved one have a greater chance of experiencing physical and mental health problems than those providing a minimal amount of care.
Read the entire artical on www.wbon.org
Call Robin P. Vaughan, LUTCF, Agent for New York Life Insurance Company at (802)-654-1131 or email at [email protected]. WBON members are eligible for long-term care insurance discounts.
Long-Term Care: The Sandwich Generation
Life as a working parent is hectic-caring for children, fixing lunches, carpools, doctors’ appointments, even playdates-and some may even feel as though they have two jobs: the one from 8-to-5, and the job of raising children and maintaining a home. For members of the Sandwich Generation, those busy days are compounded by the need to provide care for a family member who is disabled, ill, or cognitively impaired. In some ways, caring for aging parents, known as custodial care or informal care, is the same as caring for one’s children-they both may need help with the basic activities of daily living, such as bathing, eating, and dressing, and other activities such as meal preparation, taking of medication, and handling money.
Who are the caregivers? You probably do not have to look far to find an informal caregiver in your community. In 2001, close to one in four adults between the ages of 45-54 “provided care or financial assistance to parents or other elderly family members.” While the amount of time spent providing care, as well as the level of care, fluctuates, informal care giving is a common activity in our society today - and there is every reason to believe it’s a trend that is in its early stages. In fact, 41% of people between the ages of 45 to 54 believe that they will have to provide more care for family members over the next five years.
How many hours of care do they provide? Part-time caregivers face numerous challenges- lost wages,
Rutland, VT4thThurs.ofthemonthChocolateTruffleBed&BreakfastSnacks5:30-7:30pmCoordinator:[email protected]
Middlebury, VT
Coming Soon!
About Connectors…passages from The Tipping Point.
There is a very good example of the way Connectors function in the work of sociologist Mark Granovetter. In his classic 1974 study Getting a Job, Granovetter looked at several hundred professional and technical workers form the Boston suburb of Newton, interviewing them in some detail on their employment history. He found that 56% of those he talked to found their job through a personal connection. Another 18.8% used formal means – advertisements, headhunters – and roughly 20% applied directly. This much is not surprising; the best way to get in the door is through a personal contact. But, curiously, Granovetter found that of those personal connections, the majority were “weak ties.” Of those who used a contact to find a job, only 16.7% saw that contact “often” – as they would if the contact were a good friend – and 55.6% saw their contact only “occasionally.” Twenty-eight percent saw the contact “rarely.” People weren’t getting their jobs through their friends. They were getting then through their acquaintances.
Why is this? Granovetter argues that it is because when it comes to finding out about new jobs – or, for that matter, new information, or new ideas – “weak ties” are always more important than strong ties. Your friends, after all, occupy the same world that you do. Your acquaintances, on the other hand, by definition occupy a different world than you. They are much more likely to know something that you don’t. Acquaintances, in short, represent a source of social power, and the more acquaintances you have the more powerful you are. Lesson Learned from these passages: Through belonging to networking organizations, you become the master of the weak tie.
D Payroll Services Reduce Small Business WorriesHiring employees is a daunting task for most small business owners. The rules and regulations that apply to employees and their wages can be intimidating. Obtaining payroll services can reduce administration and eliminate regulation confusion for small businesses that have employees.
A payroll service maintains employee records such as wages, benefits paid, taxes withheld and vacation and sick time accrued. After receiving the data for each employee, the service generates the paychecks and delivers them to the employer. The burden of
administrating these typical payroll tasks is given to an outside resource and frees up time for the small business owner to do what they do best…run their business!
Payroll services offer small businesses expertise in payroll taxes. It takes an enormous amount of time to stay up to date on all the changes made by federal and state governments. Just like a big business, small businesses are responsible for filing all the necessary reports. The employer won’t have to worry about a call from the IRS because payroll services ensure tax payments will be made in a timely manner.
Enlisting payroll service to take on payroll administration can save small businesses time and money. Small business owners will not have to spend time on record keeping and check writing. There will be no penalties for late tax returns and payments. At year end the W-2s will be sent to the employees and all the relevant government agencies. All this help with administering payroll can be a big relief for a small business!
-By Diana Jones, Double Entry Bookkeeping Services, LLC, introducing payroll services to guarantee accurate, timely and hassle free payroll administration. To learn more email [email protected].
HELP! WHAT SHOULD I EAT?There are so many ideas about what is good diet and nutrition out there – it can be confusing and overwhelming! Atkins and South Beach say eat lots of protein; the pH Miracle and the yogic tradition say don’t eat meat at all. What’s best for your overall health AND your waistline? In this article, I’ll share with you the Chinese medicine perspective, which seems to have some answers.
A vegetarian diet is supported more in a tropical climate than it is in Vermont. Vegetables, especially raw, are cooling and drain excess energy. In Tibet, where the weather can get quite harsh, even the Buddhists monks eat meat. Meat is warming and deeply nourishing. For most people meat is necessary to keep healthy in a cold climate.
According to Chinese medicine, we get our Qi (chee) from the food we eat & the air we breathe. Qi ranges in density from light energy (yang) to dense blood (yin). For example, chicken nourishes the yang Qi and beef builds blood & yin. In general, the digestive system likes warmth. The stomach’s job is to make soup out of our food, and we can help it by chewing well and not chilling the
stomach with a lot of cold foods and drink.
While some people do well on a vegetarian diet, I have seen others develop health problems when their Qi and Blood become depleted after years of restricting meat from their diets. Tendonitis, fatigue, lowered immune response, digestive issues and eczema are some of the conditions I’ve seen. This can be complicated by the daily consumption of soy products. Some people become intolerant to soy’s large protein, especially when their digestive system is compromised. A fungus called aflotoxin has been found to grow on soy – it’s not good for you. Soy is also quite cold in nature, which can be counter-productive for the digestive system, especially in a place like Vermont.
Meat IS good for you, but please restrain from gorging on Texas-sized steaks, for this will lead to stagnation in your digestive system. This is especially true if you combine your meat with processed carbohydrates such as bread or pasta to make a meal. Lots of vegetables and a little meat make a balanced meal. Vegetables contain vitamins, minerals and fiber that we need while meat nourishes us deeper than anything else.
Eat organic, local foods and avoid pesticides, hormones, and any other
additives that might detract from the healthiness of your meat and vegetables. The fresher the better! Local farms use humane farming techniques and this can help lighten the moral dilemma.
In China, tofu is eaten sparingly, except in times of famine and rice is considered a filler food. The Chinese eat lots of vegetables and meat is served like a condiment, a little bit in every meal. I think this is a good model.
Bringing it all together, eat small quantities of meat daily with lots of fresh vegetables. Eat whole grains instead of processed white flour products whenever possible. Brown rice and oats are some good staples. Try some new grains, such as quinoa, millet, bulgur, and amaranth. Even white rice is better than white flour, as it is not nearly as processed.While I have given a general guideline for eating healthily, everyone has a unique constitution. An individual assessment would help me to address your specific nutritional needs.
- By Kelly Kaeding M.S. L.Ac., is the owner of acupuncture and thai bodywork on Pearl Street in Burlington, VT. She is a licensed acupuncturist. Learn more about her work at www.VTacupunture.com.
2 Summer/Fall2006 Summer/Fall2006 3
Members on the Move!
Business Tips
Are Your Ready To Cruise with WBON in 2007?
Mary Lou Robinson of Tootsies located at 192 College Street in Burlington hosts Pedicure Parties on Thursday and Friday evenings from 6-8:30ish. Tootsies provides a clothed table with flowers and candles and a wonderful licensed pedicurist. The Hostess can invite 6-12 gals and brings beverages and snacks. It costs $40 to hold the party date and reserve a “shoe slave” to help with setting up. Call 658-6006 to reserve a date. How fun is that?
Lisa Hall announces her new business, The Party Diva, a resource for anyone who is throwing a party but simply doesn’t have the time to organize the event. The Party Diva can suggest menu options, recommend secure spaces, coordinate staffing, and solve problems that may arise. The former owner of The Little Feast Catering, Lisa brings over 15 years experience to catering and event planning. She is a member of the International Caterer’s Assocation. Visit www.thepartydiva.org for more information.
Rena Trepanier brings her unique image workshops to Vermont. Owner of TEB Associates International, Rena is a Certified Personal Image Consultant and Trainer, who trains and supports Beauty & Image Consultants worldwide. Two programs she has created are: Developing Your Inner & Outer You, a Christian-based Image & Etiquette Workshop and What Not to Wear workshop to help women and teens define their personal image. Visit www.fashionsenseclub.com and
www.clubparasol.com for more information.
Marji Graf of Wellness Marketing is now offering video email and web conferencing services. High touch has gone high tech with this great way to send video clips within your email messages. Perfect for direct sales representatives when needing to travel great distances to visit clients, video messages can be recorded and sent directly to clients via email. For more information about how this technology works for small businesses, contact Marji at [email protected].
Member Benefits Update
The UPS Store - North Avenue, Burlington - 3 cent black & white copies - contact Lisa or Kim for more information at 802-861-4100.
Vermont Woman Newspaper - 10% off subscription rate. With a 4 time advertising frequency contract, receive the 4th ad free - any size! Contact Kit for more information at [email protected]
New York Life Insurance - Up to 30% discount on Longterm Care Insurance - contact Robin Vaughn for more information at 802-654-1131.
Entrepreneur Magazine - Discounted subscription rate of $9.99 - contact WBON to request a subscription form at [email protected]
Lake Champlain Regional Chamber of Commerce - $6.00 member rate for After Hours Networking Events - contact Susan for more information at [email protected]
The Sports and Fitness Edge - 1 month free at any of three clubs (Essex, South Burlington & Williston) - contact WBON
to request a certificate at [email protected]
If you’ve been waiting to visit the sunny beaches and crystal clear waters of Cozumel and Belize, then wait no longer! Schedule your spring excursion on our Learning in Luxury Cruise. Royal Caribbean’s newly refurbished ship will cruise for 5 nights / 6 days from May 7 – May 12, 2007. From Fort Lauderdale to Key West, Cozumel, Belize and back to Fort Lauderdale, double cabin rates for WBON range from $649 to $750 per person depending on the type of cabin. We’ve gotten the best rates inclusive of cruise, ground transportation taxes/government fees, meals and entertainment on board. Airfare is additional. Book now! Don’t miss out – space is limited and rates are subject to change based on availability.
With the registration of 20 women, Mary Wylde of Wylde Consulting will join us for several learning sessions on relationship networking, Appreciative Inquiry techniques for recognizing what’s going well in our lives and taking this energy to propel us into the future, exploring the possibilities for our businesses, conquering change, and Myers-Briggs. We’re offering the perfect mix of structure and flexibility to balance professional development learning with relaxation. Cabins are double occupancy and WBON rates will be extended to spouses and non-member friends or relatives. Reserve your spot by 10/1 by emailing [email protected]. Cabin deposit of $200 is due by October 20th and final payment is due February 15, 2007. Visit www.wbon.org to learn more.
D Payroll Services Reduce Small Business WorriesHiring employees is a daunting task for most small business owners. The rules and regulations that apply to employees and their wages can be intimidating. Obtaining payroll services can reduce administration and eliminate regulation confusion for small businesses that have employees.
A payroll service maintains employee records such as wages, benefits paid, taxes withheld and vacation and sick time accrued. After receiving the data for each employee, the service generates the paychecks and delivers them to the employer. The burden of
administrating these typical payroll tasks is given to an outside resource and frees up time for the small business owner to do what they do best…run their business!
Payroll services offer small businesses expertise in payroll taxes. It takes an enormous amount of time to stay up to date on all the changes made by federal and state governments. Just like a big business, small businesses are responsible for filing all the necessary reports. The employer won’t have to worry about a call from the IRS because payroll services ensure tax payments will be made in a timely manner.
Enlisting payroll service to take on payroll administration can save small businesses time and money. Small business owners will not have to spend time on record keeping and check writing. There will be no penalties for late tax returns and payments. At year end the W-2s will be sent to the employees and all the relevant government agencies. All this help with administering payroll can be a big relief for a small business!
-By Diana Jones, Double Entry Bookkeeping Services, LLC, introducing payroll services to guarantee accurate, timely and hassle free payroll administration. To learn more email [email protected].
HELP! WHAT SHOULD I EAT?There are so many ideas about what is good diet and nutrition out there – it can be confusing and overwhelming! Atkins and South Beach say eat lots of protein; the pH Miracle and the yogic tradition say don’t eat meat at all. What’s best for your overall health AND your waistline? In this article, I’ll share with you the Chinese medicine perspective, which seems to have some answers.
A vegetarian diet is supported more in a tropical climate than it is in Vermont. Vegetables, especially raw, are cooling and drain excess energy. In Tibet, where the weather can get quite harsh, even the Buddhists monks eat meat. Meat is warming and deeply nourishing. For most people meat is necessary to keep healthy in a cold climate.
According to Chinese medicine, we get our Qi (chee) from the food we eat & the air we breathe. Qi ranges in density from light energy (yang) to dense blood (yin). For example, chicken nourishes the yang Qi and beef builds blood & yin. In general, the digestive system likes warmth. The stomach’s job is to make soup out of our food, and we can help it by chewing well and not chilling the
stomach with a lot of cold foods and drink.
While some people do well on a vegetarian diet, I have seen others develop health problems when their Qi and Blood become depleted after years of restricting meat from their diets. Tendonitis, fatigue, lowered immune response, digestive issues and eczema are some of the conditions I’ve seen. This can be complicated by the daily consumption of soy products. Some people become intolerant to soy’s large protein, especially when their digestive system is compromised. A fungus called aflotoxin has been found to grow on soy – it’s not good for you. Soy is also quite cold in nature, which can be counter-productive for the digestive system, especially in a place like Vermont.
Meat IS good for you, but please restrain from gorging on Texas-sized steaks, for this will lead to stagnation in your digestive system. This is especially true if you combine your meat with processed carbohydrates such as bread or pasta to make a meal. Lots of vegetables and a little meat make a balanced meal. Vegetables contain vitamins, minerals and fiber that we need while meat nourishes us deeper than anything else.
Eat organic, local foods and avoid pesticides, hormones, and any other
additives that might detract from the healthiness of your meat and vegetables. The fresher the better! Local farms use humane farming techniques and this can help lighten the moral dilemma.
In China, tofu is eaten sparingly, except in times of famine and rice is considered a filler food. The Chinese eat lots of vegetables and meat is served like a condiment, a little bit in every meal. I think this is a good model.
Bringing it all together, eat small quantities of meat daily with lots of fresh vegetables. Eat whole grains instead of processed white flour products whenever possible. Brown rice and oats are some good staples. Try some new grains, such as quinoa, millet, bulgur, and amaranth. Even white rice is better than white flour, as it is not nearly as processed.While I have given a general guideline for eating healthily, everyone has a unique constitution. An individual assessment would help me to address your specific nutritional needs.
- By Kelly Kaeding M.S. L.Ac., is the owner of acupuncture and thai bodywork on Pearl Street in Burlington, VT. She is a licensed acupuncturist. Learn more about her work at www.VTacupunture.com.
2 Summer/Fall2006 Summer/Fall2006 3
Members on the Move!
Business Tips
Are Your Ready To Cruise with WBON in 2007?
Mary Lou Robinson of Tootsies located at 192 College Street in Burlington hosts Pedicure Parties on Thursday and Friday evenings from 6-8:30ish. Tootsies provides a clothed table with flowers and candles and a wonderful licensed pedicurist. The Hostess can invite 6-12 gals and brings beverages and snacks. It costs $40 to hold the party date and reserve a “shoe slave” to help with setting up. Call 658-6006 to reserve a date. How fun is that?
Lisa Hall announces her new business, The Party Diva, a resource for anyone who is throwing a party but simply doesn’t have the time to organize the event. The Party Diva can suggest menu options, recommend secure spaces, coordinate staffing, and solve problems that may arise. The former owner of The Little Feast Catering, Lisa brings over 15 years experience to catering and event planning. She is a member of the International Caterer’s Assocation. Visit www.thepartydiva.org for more information.
Rena Trepanier brings her unique image workshops to Vermont. Owner of TEB Associates International, Rena is a Certified Personal Image Consultant and Trainer, who trains and supports Beauty & Image Consultants worldwide. Two programs she has created are: Developing Your Inner & Outer You, a Christian-based Image & Etiquette Workshop and What Not to Wear workshop to help women and teens define their personal image. Visit www.fashionsenseclub.com and
www.clubparasol.com for more information.
Marji Graf of Wellness Marketing is now offering video email and web conferencing services. High touch has gone high tech with this great way to send video clips within your email messages. Perfect for direct sales representatives when needing to travel great distances to visit clients, video messages can be recorded and sent directly to clients via email. For more information about how this technology works for small businesses, contact Marji at [email protected].
Member Benefits Update
The UPS Store - North Avenue, Burlington - 3 cent black & white copies - contact Lisa or Kim for more information at 802-861-4100.
Vermont Woman Newspaper - 10% off subscription rate. With a 4 time advertising frequency contract, receive the 4th ad free - any size! Contact Kit for more information at [email protected]
New York Life Insurance - Up to 30% discount on Longterm Care Insurance - contact Robin Vaughn for more information at 802-654-1131.
Entrepreneur Magazine - Discounted subscription rate of $9.99 - contact WBON to request a subscription form at [email protected]
Lake Champlain Regional Chamber of Commerce - $6.00 member rate for After Hours Networking Events - contact Susan for more information at [email protected]
The Sports and Fitness Edge - 1 month free at any of three clubs (Essex, South Burlington & Williston) - contact WBON
to request a certificate at [email protected]
If you’ve been waiting to visit the sunny beaches and crystal clear waters of Cozumel and Belize, then wait no longer! Schedule your spring excursion on our Learning in Luxury Cruise. Royal Caribbean’s newly refurbished ship will cruise for 5 nights / 6 days from May 7 – May 12, 2007. From Fort Lauderdale to Key West, Cozumel, Belize and back to Fort Lauderdale, double cabin rates for WBON range from $649 to $750 per person depending on the type of cabin. We’ve gotten the best rates inclusive of cruise, ground transportation taxes/government fees, meals and entertainment on board. Airfare is additional. Book now! Don’t miss out – space is limited and rates are subject to change based on availability.
With the registration of 20 women, Mary Wylde of Wylde Consulting will join us for several learning sessions on relationship networking, Appreciative Inquiry techniques for recognizing what’s going well in our lives and taking this energy to propel us into the future, exploring the possibilities for our businesses, conquering change, and Myers-Briggs. We’re offering the perfect mix of structure and flexibility to balance professional development learning with relaxation. Cabins are double occupancy and WBON rates will be extended to spouses and non-member friends or relatives. Reserve your spot by 10/1 by emailing [email protected]. Cabin deposit of $200 is due by October 20th and final payment is due February 15, 2007. Visit www.wbon.org to learn more.
Book ReviewThe Tipping Point, by Malcolm Gladwell
The subtitle o f this book is “How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference.” These are the magic moments when an idea, trend, or social behavior crosses the threshold, tips, and spreads like wildfire. Just as a sick person can start an epidemic of the flu, so too can a small but precisely targeted push cause a fashion trend, the popularity of a new product, or a drop in crime rate. Malcolm Gladwell explores the tipping point phenomenon and has changed the way people think about selling products and disseminating ideas.
This book is an excellent read. The ideas are well organized and supported with real examples. Gladwell speaks to the three rules of the Tipping Point. They are the Law of the Few, the Stickiness Factor, and the Power of Context. He explains how Tipping Points happen. The Law of the Few says that there are a handful especially gifted people called Connectors who find out about something and their energy, enthusiasm, and personality spreads the word. Stickiness means that a message makes an impact. You can’t get it out of your head. It sticks in your memory. Unless you remember what I tell you, why would you ever change your behavior or buy my product or go see my movie? The Power of Context is about the environment. It refers to the idea that our inner states are the result of our outer circumstances and little things really matter. The features of our social and physical world – the streets we walk down, the people we encounter – play a huge role in shaping who we are and how we act. I highly recommend this book as it is both interesting and insightful. A national bestseller The Tipping Point is available in paperback for $14.95. – By Robin Gronlund, Executive Director of WBON and owner of Intrinsic Marketing
Summer/Fall 2006 Newsletter
Register for the Fall Conference
at www.wbon.org
Mastering Finances:
Essentials for Small Businesses
November 10-11, 2006
Topnotch Resort & Spa- Stowe, VT
Keynote by Hinda Miller, co-founder of Jogbra and VT Senator.
Speakers include: Sherry Prehoda, JMM Associates; Heather
Finley, Ph.D., Balancing Changes; Betsy Walkerman,
Headwaters Strategy; Jo Bradley, CEO, VEDA;
Jeannie Lynch, Key Bank; Wendelyn
Duquette, Quickstart, LLC
4 Summer/Fall2006
WBON Chapter Meetings
Brattleboro, VT3rdWed.ofthemonthLocationvariesLuncheon1–2:30pmCoordinator:TBD
S. Burlington, VT3rdWed.ofthemonthWindjammerHotelLuncheon11:30-1:30Coordinator:[email protected]
Essex Jct., VT4thWed.ofthemonthThreadneedleFabricsEvening6-8pmCoordinator:[email protected]
Upper Valley, NH4thTue.ofthemonthSaltHillPubLunch11:30-1pmCoordinator:[email protected]
Montpelier, VT4thTue.ofthemonthMainStreetGrillDinner6-8pmCoordinator:[email protected]
Malone, NY3rdWed.ofthemonthCoordinators:[email protected]&[email protected]
Stowe, VT3rdTues.ofthemonthSwissPot,MainSt.Dinner5:30-7:30pmCoordinator:[email protected]
If you have any questions or are interested in joining WBON, please contact Robin Gronlund, Executive Director. via email at: [email protected] Or snail mail at: P.O. Box 918, Williston, VT 05495
personal and physical stress-but perhaps the greatest challenge is lost time. The amount of care needed varies for each individual, but on average, caregivers for people over the age of 50 spend an average of over 17 hours per week providing care. Twenty percent of those acting as caregivers for someone over the age of 50 spend over 40 hours per week providing informal care services.
What is the effect of being a caregiver on finances, job, family, and personal health? The direct financial impact of creating an environment where care can be provided for an elderly or disabled individual can be significant. Medical equipment, such as walkers, wheelchairs, and rented hospital beds may be necessary. Modifications to the caregiver’s home such as installation of ramps and railings may also sometimes be required. All these things cost money, plus the cost of home health aides, adult day care, or therapeutic services.
The financial effects can extend to a caregiver’s employment as well. Caregivers may lose wages, benefits, training and career opportunities while tending for loved ones. The caregiver may need to arrive late to work, leave early, or have to take time off during the day due to an emergency. Special work arrangements are often necessary to meet a caregiver’s difficult schedule, arrangements that are not always in a company’s best interest.
While the financial implications that stem from being a primary caregiver are substantial, the emotional impact can be even greater. Lack of help from relatives can cause family conflicts. Caregiving responsibilities take time away from other family members and leisure activities. People investing long hours into the care of a loved one have a greater chance of experiencing physical and mental health problems than those providing a minimal amount of care.
Read the entire artical on www.wbon.org
Call Robin P. Vaughan, LUTCF, Agent for New York Life Insurance Company at (802)-654-1131 or email at [email protected]. WBON members are eligible for long-term care insurance discounts.
Long-Term Care: The Sandwich Generation
Life as a working parent is hectic-caring for children, fixing lunches, carpools, doctors’ appointments, even playdates-and some may even feel as though they have two jobs: the one from 8-to-5, and the job of raising children and maintaining a home. For members of the Sandwich Generation, those busy days are compounded by the need to provide care for a family member who is disabled, ill, or cognitively impaired. In some ways, caring for aging parents, known as custodial care or informal care, is the same as caring for one’s children-they both may need help with the basic activities of daily living, such as bathing, eating, and dressing, and other activities such as meal preparation, taking of medication, and handling money.
Who are the caregivers? You probably do not have to look far to find an informal caregiver in your community. In 2001, close to one in four adults between the ages of 45-54 “provided care or financial assistance to parents or other elderly family members.” While the amount of time spent providing care, as well as the level of care, fluctuates, informal care giving is a common activity in our society today - and there is every reason to believe it’s a trend that is in its early stages. In fact, 41% of people between the ages of 45 to 54 believe that they will have to provide more care for family members over the next five years.
How many hours of care do they provide? Part-time caregivers face numerous challenges- lost wages,
Rutland, VT4thThurs.ofthemonthChocolateTruffleBed&BreakfastSnacks5:30-7:30pmCoordinator:[email protected]
Middlebury, VT
Coming Soon!
About Connectors…passages from The Tipping Point.
There is a very good example of the way Connectors function in the work of sociologist Mark Granovetter. In his classic 1974 study Getting a Job, Granovetter looked at several hundred professional and technical workers form the Boston suburb of Newton, interviewing them in some detail on their employment history. He found that 56% of those he talked to found their job through a personal connection. Another 18.8% used formal means – advertisements, headhunters – and roughly 20% applied directly. This much is not surprising; the best way to get in the door is through a personal contact. But, curiously, Granovetter found that of those personal connections, the majority were “weak ties.” Of those who used a contact to find a job, only 16.7% saw that contact “often” – as they would if the contact were a good friend – and 55.6% saw their contact only “occasionally.” Twenty-eight percent saw the contact “rarely.” People weren’t getting their jobs through their friends. They were getting then through their acquaintances.
Why is this? Granovetter argues that it is because when it comes to finding out about new jobs – or, for that matter, new information, or new ideas – “weak ties” are always more important than strong ties. Your friends, after all, occupy the same world that you do. Your acquaintances, on the other hand, by definition occupy a different world than you. They are much more likely to know something that you don’t. Acquaintances, in short, represent a source of social power, and the more acquaintances you have the more powerful you are. Lesson Learned from these passages: Through belonging to networking organizations, you become the master of the weak tie.