Over 50% of all end-of-lease disputes are due to insufficient cleaning. Landlords want their properties returned in top condition, with everything from the furniture to the ceiling fans given a thorough scrubbing.

So, to make sure you get your bond paid back in full, you will be required to do a full, deep clean. Here’s some advice on cleaning tips that will help you get your end-of-lease clean spot on.

5 Top Cleaning Tips For Getting Your Bond Back

1. Plan ahead

It’s a good idea to plan your end-of-lease cleaning ahead of time. You can do this by making a list of everything that needs doing, and estimating how much time it will take you to get it all done. That way, you can set a schedule. Depending on how busy you are, you might allow yourself a few days to tackle it, or even a few weeks.

Either way, planning should help you fit everything in, no matter how much work it ends up being. And, if you spot anything that might need a bit more attention, planning ahead will give you time to book professional cleaning services.

2. Use a checklist 

The list you make during the planning stage will come in handy when you start to clean. If you write down everything that needs cleaning in each room, you can check it off as you go.

You will be far less likely to miss anything out during your end-of-lease clean if you do, whether it be something big like the floors and walls or some of your property’s hidden nooks and crannies.

When making your checklist, you can also refer back to the Condition Report that you completed when you first moved in. If there are any problems with the property, for example, a mark on the wall or a scratch on the furniture, the report will remind you of which issues are your responsibility, and which were already there.

3. Replace anything that’s broken

Chances are, you’ll be responsible for changing the bulbs in your property’s lamps and light fittings. So, any bulbs that have blown will need to be replaced. For those that are working, you should still give them a good clean.

You will also need to replace or mend anything that is cracked, scratched, or damaged in the property. The same goes for plants, either indoor or outdoor, that were there when you moved in and have died during your tenancy.

4. Deep clean the appliances

As well as the standard cleaning tasks such as dusting, mopping, and vacuuming, you’ll have to go a step further with your end-of-lease clean. For one thing, the oven will certainly require some attention before you move out, especially if it doesn’t get a regular clean.

Thankfully, while it can be time-consuming, deep cleaning an oven isn’t actually that difficult. All you need to do is combine baking soda and water until they form a paste, and spread the mix over the interior surfaces and door.

For best results, you should leave the mixture on overnight, but if you don’t have time, then an hour should do. Once you’ve done that, simply wipe the oven clean with a cloth or paper towel.

You can use the same mixture for your shower and even your fridge. When cleaning out the latter, though, don’t forget to remove all the food first, and take out any shelves so you can really get into the corners.

5. Clean from the inside out

If your rented property has decking, a patio, a balcony, or some other outdoor area, you’ll need to give that a good clean, as well.

Your BBQ and garden furniture will have to be left sparkling clean, the yard must be as pristine as when you found it, and any dirty flooring will have to be hosed down if you want to get your bond back in full.

Hopefully, you like these cleaning tips for getting bond back. For more tips, feel free to visit our Tips section.

Read Also:

• 10 Best Smart Home Automation Tips & Tricks
• 5 Top Sustainable Living Tips For 2024
• Top 8 Home Safety Tips For You And Your Family

Author: Luke Fitzpatrick

The post 5 Top Cleaning Tips For Getting Your Bond Back appeared first on WNV.

Though it might seem impossible, there are ways you can achieve it. The following includes the top 4 ways to achieve early retirement so you can enjoy the fruits of your labor much earlier.

Early retirement needn’t be a pipedream. Here’s how you can do it.

What is “Early Retirement”?

When we talk about early retirement, we typically mean ending your career early and, having planned for early retirement in advance, being able to pursue your hobbies instead of working a standard 9 to 5 job.

You might retire early having gained full financial security. You might choose to retire early but still work on certain projects from time to time.

More and more people are retiring early with side hustles and many of them are retiring before the standard retirement age.

What is the standard retirement age in Australia?

Though the standard retirement age in Australia ranges between 55 (if you were born before July 1960), and 60 (if you were born from July 1964), the key factors that influence when you can retire in Australia are the preservation age and the pension age.

The preservation age is the earliest age in which you’ll be able to retrieve your super, whereas your pension age refers to the specific age at which you can access your pension – depending on whether you’re entitled.

With early retirement, though, you can bypass these completely.

4 Top Tips To Help You Begin Preparing For Early Retirement

Here’s the advice you need – the top tips you’ll need to prepare for early retirement are just below. Take a look to find out how to do it.

1# Creating a budget and sticking to it

The first way to begin preparing for early retirement is by creating a budget. Now, to create your budget you should consider your outgoings and your income and think of ways to regulate how much you spend. The difficult part when it comes to creating a budget is sticking to it, but you can make this easier by:

• Reviewing your spending each week and making adjustments where you might have spent too much
• Create a small nest egg to cover unexpected expenses, and
• Plan ahead in terms of larger purchases that might exceed your budget amount

Here’s a little bonus tip. Managing money can be a challenge, but you’ll make it much easier with an app or program that helps you monitor your savings, investments, debts and – importantly, your budget.

2# Paying off your debt and high-interest loans

If you want to retire early, one of the first things you should consider is paying off your debt. Did you know, though, that the average Australian household owes $250,000 in terms of debt? The main categories that contribute to this debt are mortgages (56.3%) and investor debt (36.5%).

Bear in mind that some debts, like mortgages, can be considered ‘good debt’ which you might even think of as investments, and others should be thought of as ‘bad debt’, which you should aim to pay off straight away.

Some examples of ‘bad debt’ includes personal loans, credit card debt, and payday loans.

3# Consider making smart investments

By investing your money, as opposed to letting it sit in your bank account, you’ll find it easier to prepare for early retirement.

You might want to consider various investment strategies and diversify your investments. By distributing your investments, you’ll reduce the potential risks of having one asset type.

Your portfolio should reflect your comfort level and you should always be aware of the volatility of the market, but investments such as real estate or buying bonds can help you increase your income in view of early retirement.

4# Think about relocating to an economical area

Our final tip that will help you prepare for early retirement is to consider relocating to a more economical location. As we’ve mentioned, one of the largest debts you’ll have is your mortgage or rent, and if you’re concerned about how to make savings, relocation might be the answer.

Once you’ve begun to make savings, you’ll be able to invest the money and reap the rewards.

Start putting plans in place to retire early and achieve financial security

Yes, early retirement can be difficult. But you can achieve it. Keep these takeaways in mind to begin planning ahead:

• Consider downsizing or relocating to make savings
• Pay off your debts to retain more of your income each month, and
• Invest and diversify your savings to prepare for an early retirement

Put your plans into action and begin looking ahead to an early, and comfortable retirement.

You May Like To Read:

• Top 10 Richest People in the World in 2021
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• Three-Quarter Life Crisis Is the New Midlife Crisis

Author: Luke Fitzpatrick

The post 4 Key Ways To Retire Early & Comfortably appeared first on WNV.

However, most people don’t tend to take into account the mistakes they’re likely to make on the way. Unfortunately, there are a great many common pitfalls that a lot of people fail to avoid and, ultimately, cost them money.

So, we’ve rounded up seven of the things you’ll need to know about if you want to assure the success of your project.

7 Ways To Avoid Common Home Renovation Pitfalls

1. Make a plan

While confidence is often key, it is nothing without good execution. So, to start with, you’ll need to make a plan and make sure it’s thorough. Otherwise, you’ll struggle to stay on task and within budget.

First, make a note of which rooms you want to renovate. Then, ask yourself what exactly you want to achieve in each room. It might just be that you want to make the space that bit more modern in some of them.

In others, you may instead be looking to rip things out and start anew. Either way, having a solid idea from the outset will help you hit every mark.

2. Set a realistic budget

Your budget is central to the success of your renovation. Spend too much at the beginning, and you might not be able to complete the rest. But, if you spend too little, you can actually cheapen the property’s value.

When deciding on your budget, it’s also a good idea to set yourself a rough timeline. While delivery times for materials and tradespeople’s availability can make it difficult to know exactly when things will happen, a preliminary schedule will help you spread your costs out.

3. Have backup plans in place

Not all renovations go to plan, and many come up against entirely unexpected obstacles. So, as part of your budgeting and planning stages, it’s important to put strategies in place that will help you deal with unpredictable roadblocks.

It could be a financial buffer. Or, you could instead plan to make alternative, more inexpensive changes to some areas of the house if you have to re-evaluate your budget. Either way, any backup you have in place will grant you wiggle room if you find yourself in a tight spot.

4. Coordinate your project

You might already have some experience in DIY and home improvements. But, just because you know how to fire up a chainsaw doesn’t mean you’re ready to take on the enormous task of renovating an entire property.

As such, it is recommended that you approach a project manager or an experienced builder, particularly if it’s your first time renovating. They will have the expertise necessary to advise you on how to proceed and even coordinate the project.

5. Ask yourself how involved you can be

Renovating a property can be an all-consuming job. As such, people who work full-time hours or have a family are unlikely to manage the project from start to finish.

Realistically, someone will need to oversee all aspects to make sure everything runs as it should. So, designate or hire someone who can.

6. Hire only the best

It’s important you invest in the best tradespeople. This doesn’t have to mean the most expensive, so don’t be tempted to hire people just because they come with a hefty price tag.

Instead, do a bit of digging to find the people who do the highest quality work for the most reasonable price. You can do so by talking to friends and family, asking for recommendations at a hardware store near you, or reading reviews online.

7. Keep the lines of communication open

Clear communication with every individual involved in your renovation will be absolutely crucial if you want everything to be completed on time and to an acceptable standard.

In fact, the one thing that tradies value more than anything else is customers who are responsive, trusting, and provide detailed briefings.

Get the best out of the people you hire by keeping them in the loop and treating them with respect. Everyone stands to gain if you do.

Read Also:

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• The Concept of Beauty in Different Cultures
• How To Choose The Right Font For Your Logo?

Author: Luke Fitzpatrick

The post 7 Ways To Avoid Common Home Renovation Pitfalls appeared first on WNV.

As time ticks on, we edge ever-closer to the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change deadline of 2030, by which time humanity needs to have cut carbon dioxide emissions by 45%.

One way we can all pitch in is by leading a much more sustainable life. And, the good news is, with so much choice and so many resources at our fingertips, making the switch to sustainable living doesn’t have to be too disruptive.

How To Live Sustainably

This might sound all well and good, but what actually is sustainable living? Well, in basic terms, it just means making better choices in your day-to-day life, which do not involve the unnecessary use or wastage of resources.

You see, according to the WWF, humans are consuming the world’s resources at a rate that is unsustainable. And that is the one big thing that is driving environmental degradation.

By making simple changes, we can help put a stop to the planet’s overconsumption problem, keeping it at its best for future generations.

1# Get Savvy With Recycling

You likely throw stuff out every day, whether it be plastic water bottles, clothes, or old homeware items that you don’t need anymore. But, even though a lot of what gets tossed out with the trash can be recycled, much of it ends up going to landfill.

Unfortunately, Australians have a recycling problem. In recent years, we have been getting better. But, by and large, we have only been recycling around 20% of our plastic.

Considering that this country generates 3.5 million tonnes of plastic waste a year, that figure doesn’t even come close to being sustainable.

Look up your local government’s approach to recycling and find out what commonly chucked out items can be given a new lease of life.

2# Use less plastic

Speaking of plastics, if you’re really serious about sustainability, you should also make an attempt to cut down on your plastic use altogether. While plastic is ubiquitous in this day and age, it is very much possible to start leading a plastic-free life.

For one thing, more supermarkets than ever before are selling fruits, vegetables, and other products without their plastic packaging. And, there are dedicated shops that allow you to refill old plastic containers with new products, so nothing has to go to waste.

Beyond that, it is also advised that you invest in reusable water bottles and coffee cups. They are far more environmentally friendly than single-use plastic and paper alternatives.

3# Invest in electric cars

The school run, your commute to work, and, really, any trip you complete in a car will create an awful lot of pollution.

However, with new, advanced technologies, it is possible to have speed, power, and space in a car that does not harm the environment.

Just take a look at Tesla, one of the most technologically advanced cars on the market today, electric or otherwise. And, since it doesn’t run on petrol, it doesn’t pollute. Simply charge it up at night and you’ll be ready to travel 500 kilometres, fast.

4# Eat less meat

Whether you’re completely plant-based or a meat-eater, chances are you’ve spotted the recent rise in meatless alternatives to your favorite foods.

The vegan revolution has arrived, and for good reason: meat and dairy production accounts for a great deal of the world’s carbon emissions.

But, don’t worry if you love your meat, because this doesn’t have to be a case of going cold turkey. As long as you make a concerted effort to cut down on your consumption of animal products, you’ll be doing your bit.

5# Forget fast fashion

It is getting easier and easier to buy clothes at rock bottom prices. But, while this is of benefit to the consumer in the short term, the cost of fast fashion has really been adding up.

So much gets wasted during the production process, not to mention the fact that many fast fashion companies are guilty of exploiting their workers.

Instead of buying cheap clothes that are more than likely pretty poor quality, purchase pieces that are made to last and, ideally, using materials that are organic.

With so many climate-focused companies emerging, it’s never been easier to fill your wardrobe with clothing that is as attractive as it is sustainable.

Read More:

• How To Live A More Sustainable Life
• 10 Best Fitness Tips For Beginners
• The 4 Benefits of Growing Your Own Food

Author: Luke Fitzpatrick

The post 5 Top Sustainable Living Tips For 2021 appeared first on WNV.

That includes finance roles, for which home-based arrangements were seen as unfeasible or at best a soft option of sorts, for people who weren’t fully committed to accelerating their careers.

Since early cases were detected in late January, the finance sector has shown it’s not just possible but just as productive to be employed remotely.

A Myth-Busting Pandemic

Governments around the world are coming to terms with how to deal with a pandemic without recent precedent. At the same time, businesses are dealing with a similar level of disruption and confusion with workplaces.

Forced into shifting from cubicles and boardrooms to home offices or even the living room couch, companies are now looking at remote arrangements with a fresh gaze, as regulations and safety rules continue to drive the trend of work-from-home.

Financial services, in particular, have taken a new look at these set-ups, as Jenny Grey, managing director, head of human resources at Citigroup for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, explains. Traditionally, in-office labor was believed to be essential for the sector due to unique technical and compliance hurdles.

However, necessity has demonstrated that employees can be productive and effective when employed completely remotely, in many cases as successful as those in occupations already optimal for such arrangements.

A Historical Workplace Shift

The shift hasn’t been pain-free, but mandatory lockdowns compelled these businesses to adopt any necessary technical and compliance solutions to make it work. At the same time, human issues will likely endure no matter what tools are made available.

It could be argued that the experience of shared workspaces and physical immediacy can’t be fully replaced with virtual spaces and proximity online.

In addition, online collaboration can make all too evident personal differences like a luxurious, fully furnished at-home office versus making do on the kitchen table. Some team members might be living alone, with a greater sense of isolation, while others have the support of a family and are less likely to feel the difficulties of seclusion.

On the other hand, those who live by themselves might be hindered by fewer distractions during the workday. Their colleagues might be facing the challenge of numerous distractions from kids, pets, and other personal commitments such as studying part-time for a qualification.

Integration & Team Culture

Finding ways to defeat these differences within teams is integral to success. Moreover, staff should be encouraged to focus on the bigger picture: their personal sense of purpose and the meaning they derive from their jobs.

Guiding the group to review their individual role in the financial services industry and how they’re contributing to eventual economic recovery is another useful approach. If you’re working from home, taking every opportunity to stay connected to friends and family as well as coworkers supports you in staying focused on the horizon and preventing the proverbial walls from closing in.

A culture of non-judgment and tolerance is also ideal. Refrain from judging your colleague’s taste in furniture and window dressings. Having a laugh about interruptions from pets and children keeps the mood lighter, and helps everyone to recognize that everyone is trying to do their best in this strange, unprecedented time.

Have empathy for your coworkers, especially those caring for sick or elderly relatives. Managers may want to make the extra effort in reinforcing conduct and compliance standards, along with supporting staff with doubts or even anxiety.

For everyone, having a sense of gratitude for stable employment is another positive mindset to adopt, in light of the tens of thousands or more who have been laid off due to the pandemic-caused economic disaster.

Summing Up

COVID-19 has shaken up the world, causing widespread economic disruption and social dislocation. Even finance roles, long seen as strictly on-premises jobs, have undergone a kind of revolution.

Security, client data, and compliance and regulatory measures, can and have been successfully managed by these players. Even the client-side demand for face-to-face interactions have been met by digital or video access to staff. Just make sure you stay professional while on a video conference call.

However, although the countless remote financial services teams functioning successfully have demonstrated these set-ups are possible, social and human challenges endure and must be addressed. This comes down to mindset.

Both employees and managers can encourage and cultivate the empathy, tolerance, and sense of purpose that home-based working needs to thrive.

Read Also:

• Working from Home – 5 Best Ways to Boost Your Productivity
• McKinsey: The Implications Of COVID-19 On Small Businesses
• How To Plan A Party At Home During COVID-19

Author: Luke Fitzpatrick

The post COVID-19 Proves Finance Employees Can Successfully Work At Home appeared first on WNV.

Some of the changes during the pandemic were positive, such as artificial intelligence, digital automation, and cloud computing, which had already been rising trends for many years. But not all the news was good.

With that in mind, here are some of the most effective ways that small businesses are surviving the storm.

5 Implications of Covid-19 on Small Businesses

1. Protect Your Staff

As COVID-19 has had serious and ongoing consequences for all of our lives in many unprecedented ways, businesses need to protect their employees, as well as the general public. There are many things that companies will need to consider because business as usual during this pandemic is simply not a plausible option.

Therefore, businesses of all sizes should ensure that all of their staff are fully aware of all safety precautions and that they’re always routinely followed. This includes wearing masks, washing hands, and restricting unnecessary contact where possible.

Ultimately, there is little doubt that during this time of great uncertainty, this virus will have a far-reaching and long-term impact that extends way beyond our health.

2. Engage Your Customers

While consumer demand has obviously been much lower, it certainly hasn’t disappeared entirely. Businesses who are determined to make an effort to engage and reassure their customers will be more likely to survive over the short term.

And “companies that navigate disruptions better often succeed because they invest in their core customer segments and anticipate their behaviors”, says McKinsey.

For more stability over the long-term, small businesses should start identifying possible opportunities for growth by targeting other segments and assessing the market as a whole. Special offers and discounted items are quite often very effective methods of engaging and incentivizing customers.

3. Ensure Sufficient Liquidity

While many challenges ahead are overwhelming, there are things that small businesses can start doing now so they are ready for whatever comes next. Across all industries, small businesses need to be providing better customer service while also keeping costs low for improved cash liquidity overall.

As McKinsey says, “for the critical variables that will affect revenue and cost, they can define input numbers through analytics and expert input.” Simply by identifying variables in scenarios that trigger cost and revenue changes, they can then be applied to establish profit and loss modeling, cash flow charts, and balance sheets. These are just some of the more critical processes that can help firms to build resilience while ensuring there’s sufficient overall liquidity to operate at a profit.

4. Stabilize Supply Networks

While supply chain management can be a complex challenge on its own, problems with financing and health-related issues will often only increase the risk of further problems.

So, while “Most companies are primarily focused on immediate stabilization,” says McKinsey, they still must “define the extent and likely duration of their supply-chain exposure to areas that are experiencing community transmission.”

Even if having access to a backup supply chain that’s temporarily more expensive, you should always have a secondary supply option because it might be the difference between saving your business and losing it all.

As for long-term stabilization of supply networks, firms should plan ahead for consumer demand as much as possible to make them more resilient.

5. Demonstrate Company Purpose

While the purpose of most small businesses right now is basically about surviving, there is an opportunity to ensure you leave an enduring mark on your client base with support, empathy, and a little humanity.

Authentic actions will always demonstrate a genuine commitment to any kind of social or fundamental purpose, which can have a long-lasting and truly positive knock-on effect throughout the wider community as a whole.

Remember too that businesses are only ever as strong as the communities that they’re a part of. And many decisions made during this pandemic will tell a story that almost certainly ends up shaping the identity of your company for many years after things get back to some degree of normal.

Read Also:

• How To Plan A Party At Home During COVID-19
• Importance of Face Masks During COVID-19
• How The Pandemic Is Forcing The Real Estate Market To Adapt

Author Byline: Luke Fitzpatrick is a freelance journalist and has been published in a variety of publications such as Forbes, Entrepreneur, Tech In Asia, and The Next Web. He is also a guest lecturer at Sydney University, lecturing in Cross-Cultural Management and the Pre-MBA Program. Connect with him on LinkedIn.

The post McKinsey: The Implications Of COVID-19 On Small Businesses appeared first on WNV.

By this point, we have grown accustomed to our social lives being slightly (or heavily) curtailed by the reality of coronavirus. The entirety of 2020 was turned upside down and we did our best to celebrate in the face of difficulty.

Humans are social creatures and with technology, we all found a way to mark special occasions with our families and friends as best as possible. It’s important to celebrate whenever possible and maintain some semblance of normality.

If all else fails, you can celebrate with your household while inviting your family and friends to take part virtually if necessary. This will keep everyone safe and included and even if that is your reality, there is still plenty you can do to make every holiday and celebration truly special. Let’s talk about how.

3 Ways To Plan A Party At Home During Covid-19

1. Safety First

The situation changes rapidly and every state has its own regulations to follow, ensure you follow the rules for your local area as you plan and celebrate throughout the year. It would be a good idea to provide masks and hand sanitizer for your guests to ensure safety. Have a hygiene station at the entrance, near the bathroom, and near shared areas as well.

Ideally, your celebrations should take place outdoors for optimum ventilation. If that isn’t possible, do your best to socially distance and wear masks where possible.

Rather than celebrating with cake, consider cupcakes to make it easy for guests to grab their portion and go. If possible, create designated zones where small groups can gather in limited numbers while socially distancing safely.

2. The Décor

You can’t throw a party without some great decorations! Whether it’s a birthday celebration, your pet’s big day, Christmas, New Year, or even St. Patrick’s Day, the decorations can make or break the day.

Banners, balloons, streamers, tablecloths, napkins, plates, and flowers are all key décor changes you can make to celebrate the day properly. You aren’t limited to decorating indoors, you can decorate outdoors as well. Why not go big? It’s a special day after all.

If, for some reason, you cannot entertain guests at home, why not take your party on the road and do a drive-by of your closest friends and family? You can return to your decorated home and enjoy party food, but it adds an extra special element to another holiday spent in a non-traditional way.

For Easter, go big with your egg hunt. For birthdays, consider family sleepovers and movie nights. Pirate-themed parties, turning the garden into the beach, including fairies, space, karaoke, Netflix, pampering, the Olympics, ice cream, cuisine themes, virtual dinner parties, afternoon tea, garden parties, and more. The only limit to how you celebrate is your imagination and the sky’s the limit.

3. A Grazing Table

No party would be complete without a smashing grazing table. It provides a wide mix of options for even the fussiest of eaters and ensures that everyone can build a plate brimming with their favorite bite-sized eats.

Of course, it isn’t just about providing delicious food on top, there’s also something incredibly attractive about grazing tables. It’s instantly something that everyone wants to snap a photo of.

With coronavirus in the air, you will want to consider how you do this to ensure everyone’s safety. You could make this part of your design, but you have other options.

You can either mask up and man the grazing table to serve your guest or you can maintain the integrity of the grazing tablet by providing each guest with their own serving tongs is probably the most effective way to do so.

Some Final Words

You may want to use disposable (biodegradable) cups with each guest’s name written on it so they can keep track or opt for bottled beverages instead. Alternatively, you can encourage guests to bring their own beverages.

You should also use disposable crockery and cutlery, again look for biodegradable options. Of course, there’s always the option to use a private chef to put together a truly stunning grazing table that will grab all the attention.

Read Also:

• Importance of Face Masks During COVID-19
• Apple & Google Developing Technology To Trace COVID-19
• Congress Allocated $300 Billion For Small Business Loans

Author: Luke Fitzpatrick

The post How To Plan A Party At Home During COVID-19 appeared first on WNV.

If so, there’s not much to worry about as hearing loss is a normal part of aging. But if your parents refuse to get their hearing checked and wear hearing aids, then you have every right to be concerned.

Without good hearing, one can’t communicate effectively with others and hear all the different types of sounds required to live one’s life fully and safely. So, if you want to know how to deal with hearing-impaired parents and help them hear better again, read on.

Hearing Loss in Older People

As you get older, your hearing declines. And the common signs of hearing loss include finding it difficult to hear someone when there’s background noise or unless they’re facing you, to follow conversations, and to hear doorbells, alarms, or the phone ringing. You may also turn up the volume on the TV louder than others and hear a constant buzzing or ringing in your ears.

If a senior loved one has trouble hearing, they’re not alone. One in three people over 60 and two-thirds of people over 70 have a hearing impairment. And among the Baby Boomers, 15% of them are already affected.

What’s more, according to The State of Hearing Report 2019, which surveyed more than 7,000 people in five countries, almost 50% of those who took part to have a family member with moderate to profound hearing loss, and 86% of them say this affects their relationships.

Carolyn Rosenblatt, Forbes contributor and author of books about aging parents and clients, says that when her mother-in-law was 92 she always asked “what?” to most people who spoke with her, not realizing the problem.

Later, after having dinner with two of her friends, Mrs. Rosenblatt asked them how much they thought her mother-in-law missed in conversation with her, and they said 80%.

She finally persuaded her mother-in-law to get a hearing test and the results showed a mild hearing loss, but it was still recommended that she wear hearing aids. She got them and it made things so much better for her and everyone else.

Dealing With Hearing-Impaired Parents

Many older adults don’t realize their hearing is declining as they turn 65 or over and refuse to wear hearing aids. The reasons could be the denial of aging, pride, or not wanting to look old. It could also be because hearing aids are expensive, costing thousands of dollars, and they can be uncomfortable to wear and distort background noise.

So, what can you do when you have aging parents who are always asking “what did you say?” and don’t want to get hearing aids? Here are some tips:

1. Tell them everyone has noticed their hearing loss

Gather family members and explain to your parents how their hearing loss has become a burden, especially when you have to repeat almost everything you say to them. Most parents don’t want to burden their children.

2. Ask them to get a hearing test

You can ask your parents to get their hearing checked at a hearing clinic or via free apps and websites, such as the government’s free hearing test at Know Your Noise.

3. Find a hearing clinic near them

When choosing a hearing clinic, compare the services offered, the location, and the costs of hearing aids in case they’re recommended. If your parents can’t pay the costs, offer to help.

4. Accompany them to the clinic

People with hearing impairment often don’t interact with others and can end up becoming depressed and isolated, so offer to go with your parents to the clinic.

5. Help them choose the right hearing device

There are three types of hearing devices that may be recommended, and these are the standard removable hearing aids, plus state-of-the-art surgically implanted devices such as cochlear implants and bone-anchored hearing aids. Have a thorough discussion with your parents about each option to help them pick the one that best suits their needs.

6. Get an amplifier for their phone

Some phone amplifiers are free for people with hearing impairment and a doctor’s verification. If your parents have significant hearing loss, text-connected screens can also help them with communicating over the phone.

Helping seniors hear better again

Although hearing devices can’t restore hearing, they can surely and significantly improve one’s hearing, no matter how old you are. So, if your parents or other senior loved ones are deaf, urge them to get their hearing tested, don a pair of hearing aids, and use assistive listening devices.

Not only will they be able to hear better again, but it’ll also improve their life right away too. What’s more, it’ll be a huge relief for the people in their life, including you, as you won’t have to keep repeating yourself to them or wait a long time for them to answer the door or phone.

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Author: Luke Fitzpatrick

The post How To Cope With Older Parents Who Have Hearing Loss appeared first on WNV.

In fact, looking about, you cannot access any of your documents. When you call IT, they inform you that no one can access any data on the company network. Files appear corrupted. Upon further inspection, it turns out all your company files have been encrypted.

Then you receive an email from some unknown person that they have encrypted your data. Further, they made a copy of all of your data in the process.

While you cannot access your data, they intend to post it all online and inform both the media and your customers. That is when they tell you how much money you can pay to get your files restored. This is the essence of ransomware.

Modern Ransomware Attacks

In August, a group calling itself DarkSide announced themselves via press release. While this may sound uncommonly brazen, a recent Forbes investigation says this is increasingly becoming the norm.

According to tech expert Antoine Bechara, “DarkSide is unsettling business-like in its execution. Once seizing a company’s data, they claim to decide on a ransom amount based on the company’s financials to ensure they can pay. In fact, they are so business-like that companies incur late fees for not paying their ransoms on time.”

While DarkSide has worked bizarrely hard to maintain some type of ethical façade, claiming to never target NGOs, hospitals, or schools, DarkSide is definitely no Robin Hood. In just its first two weeks of operation, they claim to have already extorted $1 million USD from one victim.

Ransomware Exacerbated

Unfortunately, the pandemic has increased the risk of ransomware attacks as more companies move their business and day-to-day operations online to help facilitate remote workers.

The groups that run ransomware attacks are aware of this as well, giving them more incentive than ever before to prod and test company networks and systems looking for vulnerabilities.

Once a ransomware attack has happened, it can be impossible to retrieve data without paying the criminals to do so, comments Advanced Firewall Solutions. Given the negative publicity of having data stolen, many companies simply pay the ransom quietly.

It may seem small consolation, but ransomware groups generally do deal in good faith with those who pay. After all, their business model relies on companies being able to pay. And, once paid, the criminals go away and cause the company no more harm.

On Data Protection

The most important thing to remember about ransomware is that once your systems have been infected, IT security solutions are too late. The damage has been irreversibly done, at least until you pay the ransom.

Damage can be someone mitigated by having good backups of data and experts can restore things to normal. However, if your company has sensitive proprietary or customer data, this will not solve the problem of the criminals posting that data on the internet for anyone to see.

So, the best and perhaps only line of defense is keeping ransomware out of your company network, to begin with. This is best done with a full IT security solution, including strong password management, virus protection, staying current with security patches, and having dedicated IT staff on hand who track evolving threats and continue to harden system security.

For smaller companies, this can be a challenge to finance. However, with groups such as DarkSide out there plying their trade, the cost of not having a security solution may be even more. One solution is to outsource IT security altogether.

Doing so means having experts available on-demand as needed, as well as ensuring thorough and timely systems patches. This can be a cost-effective solution to protect against a far more costly breach of security.

For more similar stories, please visit our tech section.

Author: Luke Fitzpatrick

The post The Price Of Inadequate Cybersecurity Can Cost A Company Millions appeared first on WNV.