Time for Some Music Appreciation- Grand Pas de Deux

The other day, Carlos Avila( Macrine's nephew) posted on his Face Book a trio arrangement of Grand Pas de Deux for piano, violin and viola that I enjoyed very much.  I have replayed it a number of times the last couple of days as it reminded me of our younger years when Macrine (RIP) and I attended Ballet( Nutcracker Suite/Swan Lake) and Concerts here in the US( Chicago, Kansas City, Washington DC and San Francisco) . 

 

Orchestral Rendition-Grand Pas de Deux-Nutcracker- Tchaikovsky-Gergiev

If you are not familiar with the term here's a summary from Wikipedia.

In ballet, a pas de deux [pɑ d(ə) dø] (French, literally "step of two") is a dance duet in which two dancers, typically a male and a female, perform ballet steps together. The pas de deux is characteristic of classical ballet and can be found in many well-known ballets, including Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, and Giselle. It is most often performed by a male and a female (a danseur and a ballerina) though there are exceptions, such as in the film White Nights, in which a pas de deux is performed by Mikhail Baryshnikov and Gregory Hines.

A grand pas de deux is a structured pas de deux that typically has five parts, consisting of an entrée (introduction), an adagio, two variations (a solo for each dancer), and a coda (conclusion). It is effectively a suite of dances that share a common theme, often symbolic of a love story or the partnership inherent in love, with the dancers portraying expressions of affectionate feelings and thoughts between romantic partners. It is often considered to be the pièce de résistance and bravura highlight of a ballet and is usually performed by a leading pair of principal dancers.

Entrée

A grand pas de deux usually begins with an entrée (literally "entrance"), which serves as a short prelude to and also unequivocally denotes the beginning of the dance suite. During the entrée, the dancers first appear on the stage and, typically with great pageantry, acknowledge each other and position themselves near each other in preparation for the subsequent adagio. Depending on the choreography, the ballerina and danseur may enter the stage simultaneously or at different times.

Adagio

The adagio or adage (meaning "slowly") part of a grand pas de deux features graceful and elaborate partnering by the dancing pair. In the adagio, the ballerina performs elegant, often slow and sustained movements while the danseur supports her. The danseur, in turn, strives to maintain a display of poise and seemingly effortless strength while providing support for the ballerina. The danseur may support the ballerina in a variety of common ways, including lifting her, holding and steadying her during turns, and offering a steady arm or hand for her to use as a "virtual barre" when she performs balancing feats that would be difficult or impossible without assistance. Because of this support the adagio is sometimes called supported adagio.

• Meanwhile enjoy this photo of my Christmas Capiz Parol from the Philippines
• 
  
   
  
• 
  
  

 

Social Anxiety Disorder or Social Phobia

I was watching Lisa Ling's documentary last night on social {phobia) anxiety on CNN. It reminded me that during my teenage years in the Philippines, I have some mild form of social phobia. My symptoms are scared of attending social parties and gathering and I enjoyed being alone instead of socializing. Luckily as I get older and later after I got married, my spouse help me conquer those anxieties I suffered during my teenage years. Today, I enjoy attending parties and making friends even with strangers. The subject of social anxiety affects also a few of my closed relatives. 

Thus I did some search and here's a summary from the Mayo Clinic for your reading pleasure. For complete details read the website at the bottom of this page. The Causes, Risks Factors, Complications and Prevention are outlined as follows.     

Causes

Like many other mental health conditions, social anxiety disorder likely arises from a complex interaction of biological and environmental factors. Possible causes include:

• Inherited traits. Anxiety disorders tend to run in families. However, it isn't entirely clear how much of this may be due to genetics and how much is due to learned behavior.
• Brain structure. A structure in the brain called the amygdala (uh-MIG-duh-luh) may play a role in controlling the fear response. People who have an overactive amygdala may have a heightened fear response, causing increased anxiety in social situations.
• Environment. Social anxiety disorder may be a learned behavior — some people may develop significant anxiety after an unpleasant or embarrassing social situation. Also, there may be an association between social anxiety disorder and parents who either model anxious behavior in social situations or are more controlling or overprotective of their children.

Risk factors

Several factors can increase the risk of developing social anxiety disorder, including:

• Family history. You're more likely to develop social anxiety disorder if your biological parents or siblings have the condition.
• Negative experiences. Children who experience teasing, bullying, rejection, ridicule or humiliation may be more prone to social anxiety disorder. In addition, other negative events in life, such as family conflict, trauma or abuse, may be associated with this disorder.
• Temperament. Children who are shy, timid, withdrawn or restrained when facing new situations or people may be at greater risk.
• New social or work demands. Social anxiety disorder symptoms typically start in the teenage years, but meeting new people, giving a speech in public or making an important work presentation may trigger symptoms for the first time.
• Having an appearance or condition that draws attention. For example, facial disfigurement, stuttering or tremors due to Parkinson's disease can increase feelings of self-consciousness and may trigger social anxiety disorder in some people.

Complications

Left untreated, social anxiety disorder can control your life. Anxieties can interfere with work, school, relationships or enjoyment of life. This disorder can cause:

• Low self-esteem
• Trouble being assertive
• Negative self-talk
• Hypersensitivity to criticism
• Poor social skills
• Isolation and difficult social relationships
• Low academic and employment achievement
• Substance abuse, such as drinking too much alcohol
• Suicide or suicide attempts

Other anxiety disorders and certain other mental health disorders, particularly major depressive disorder and substance abuse problems, often occur with social anxiety disorder.

Prevention

There's no way to predict what will cause someone to develop an anxiety disorder, but you can take steps to reduce the impact of symptoms if you're anxious:

• Get help early. Anxiety, like many other mental health conditions, can be harder to treat if you wait.
• Keep a journal. Keeping track of your personal life can help you and your mental health professional identify what's causing you stress and what seems to help you feel better.
• Set priorities in your life. You can reduce anxiety by carefully managing your time and energy. Make sure that you spend time doing things you enjoy.
• Avoid unhealthy substance use. Alcohol and drug use and even caffeine or nicotine use can cause or worsen anxiety. If you're addicted to any of these substances, quitting can make you anxious. If you can't quit on your own, see your health care provider or find a treatment program or support group to help you.

 https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/social-anxiety-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20353561 

Meanwhile, enjoy this autumn color in my front yard.

 

 

Two Young Cats and An Old Dude Wish You a Bountiful Thanksgiving Weekend

Robin-The Naughty and Needy One ( Mews for Attention)

Batman- The Independent, Composed( Seldom Mew) and a Massager  Today, is 

Thanksgiving Day.  At 1PM my oldest son Dodie and wife Ruth and daughter Marina and new boy friend are bringing some Food ( turkey etc...) for our pot luck. Dinah my oldest daughter with son Ian King and wife Sara are also coming bringing other dishes and desserts. My own contribution is Pancit Bihon (cooked by my Pinay home care Aide), Chicken Macaroni Salad and Banana Cream Pie. This blog is about my 2 companions( B & R) and myself.  

Last April, the old dude adopted 2 kittens (neutered males), 12 and 14 weeks old. The old dude named them Batman and Robin( B&R). Today B & R keeps the old man company.

The old Dude was surprised that the older Cat, Batman, become more submissive to the younger and smaller Robin. The 2 kitties have opposite personalities. 

Robin, the younger one is more aggressive and vocal. She craves more attention and meows when she is hungry or want to got for a 30 minute Vitamen-D exposure in the sun daily. Otherwise both cats stay in the house. They have access to the whole house except for the formal and dining rooms and my cave( computer room).  

Batman on the other hand is calm, seldom meows, I believe he is mute. He is patient but loves to massage my legs. Both loves to set on my lap when I watch TV. Batman is not excited to go out. He prefers to set on the window ledge of the BR in the Utility room which is always open for Ventilation.  

This week I allowed them to hang around the master bedroom when I watch TV. But at night they sleep on the guest room. In the morning at around 7:30AM, I will hear a banging on my door. This would wake me up and start their morning feed. They are feed again in the late afternoon, alternating wet canned food and dry food. There are 2 litter boxes in the house.    

B&R are still very energetic since they are still young. They would exercise  and play with each other, running and sometimes climbing on the drapes in the Family room. They have a scratch post, but occasionally scratch on the sofa in the family room. 

So how about the old Dude? The old man keeps himself busy with his blogs( mental exercise), enjoy cooking sometimes, but order most of his meals on line via DoorDash, Grubhub or Shef.com  Once a week, his relatives would call him just to say Hello. Once a month a close relative would visit him and help him of whatever he needs. The old man gets a regular visit from Macrine's niece Family every other month. They always bring Pinoy Food that the old dude enjoys. Lately, he decided to hire a home care aide to do light housekeeping and to provide transportation services for his medical/dental appointments and other errands. 

The old man lives in a sprawling 4BR and 2.5B ranch house with a big yard. Once a month the house is serviced by 2 cleaning ladies. The house lawn is serviced twice a month by a professional landscaper. The old man gets a home-service whole body massage once a month. Otherwise the old man is home bound, except for an occasional walk across to street to talk to his 2 friendly neighbors.  He attends Mass on line, and  enjoys groceries shopping on line(doordash/Instacart). He has both a landline phone, a cell phone and an I-pod, but prefers his landline than his cell phone.   He is addicted to FaceBook, TV( Netflix, HBO Max, Prime Video) and in the computer. Hopefully, the old man will live long enough to see his youngest grand daughter graduates from college. The old man has been taking Metformin for the last 3 decades, so hopefully this could delay his aging process further.  

https://theintellectualmigrants.blogspot.com/2022/10/current-research-on-anti-aging.html

Lately, the old man is a little down in spirit, when he learned that one of his buddies and contemporaries ( mid-1960's) at the University of Illinois passed away at age of 89. The old man's 88th birthday is next month, on Dec 20. Wish him an advance BD greetings.

Finally, the old man is thanking all his FaceBook friends and the readers and followers of his blogs. Happy Thanksgiving To ALL!!!!!

Here's a photo of the old man taken 2 years ago at Stimson Beach,CA during the height months of the Covid-19 Pandemic.

and here's a photo of the old dude youngest grand daughter-CKT
 

From Ditas FB Page-My youngest beautiful and talented grand daughter at NOLA, 11/18-19/2022-Carenna Katague Thompson

 

Does It Matter where you Go to College?

My Youngest Grand Daughter, Carenna Katague Thompson (CKT) with her Lola's reversible leather-mink jacket and Leif. Carenna is freshman at ESIA, GWU.   

Does it Matter Where you get your Degree regarding your financial success and personal satisfaction? To some degree the answer is yes, but for some this is not a high priority.  Students have different needs and goals in life. The degree of financial success depends on the goals and needs of the person.  However in my case going to a top ranked university in the Philippines( UP) for my bachelor degree in Chemistry and my Master's and Ph.D degrees from the University of Illinois here in the US gave me personal satisfaction I will always cherish as long as I live.

Last September my youngest grand daughter( Carenna Katague Thompson) went to college at one of the highly prestigious but expensive university in the US(GWU-ESIA). She had several options where to apply and was accepted in another university less prestigious and cheaper than ESIA, GWU. But she choose GWU where she will be pursuing her bachelor's degree in International Affairs and National Security in the next 4 years. I also know of a few relatives going to less ranked and prestigious school compared to ESIA. So I was curious if it really matters where you go to college. I did some search and the site at the bottom of the page answered my question. However, there are other articles that disagree.     

In a recent study (2020) of working recent college graduates, the authors found that recent grads from higher-ranked universities outperformed their peers from lower ranked universities to a limited degree. This research is useful for hiring managers who need to carefully consider the worth of the increase in performance for the firm. For some companies, the difference between a hypothetical graduate from an “average” vs. “top” university may be well worth the extra pay that these candidates typically receive. Yet, for others the added cost may not result in a positive return on investment and, thus, may not be justified. All in all, the authors find that hiring graduates from higher-ranked universities would lead to a nominal improvement in performance, but that employers can get a much better deal by hiring the “right” students from lower-ranked institutions, than “anyone” from better-ranked institutions.https://hbr.org/2020/09/graduates-of-elite-universities-get-paid-more-do-they-perform-better

Does it really pay to go to an elite university, financially speaking?  Researchers have been investigating this issue since at least the 1980s. And their findings tend to show that when it comes to future earnings, where you go to college counts.

https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2012/05/does-it-matter-where-you-go-to-college/257227/

But not all students are guaranteed success attending a top rank school. A school that fits the student needs is recommended as explained in the following article.

Why is a university that fits your needs better than a top ranked one?

Because university tops are so popular there’s a tendency – particularly in the USA – for students (and parents!) to assume that going for a Bachelor’s at a top ranking university is the best choice they can make.  However, the new Stanford study has found otherwise.

The study reveals that high school graduates care more about their learning, well-being and future job satisfaction (professionally and financially).  And rankings often don’t give any guarantee that you will achieve this by going to a reputed university.

Denise Pope, a senior lecturer at Stanford’s Education School, explained, "Research tells us that the most successful students, both in college and beyond, are the ones who engage in the undergraduate experience regardless of how selective a school may be. This is almost always the case whether a student attends the top-ranked or 200th-ranked college."

Also, a few Gallup surveys say that what students like you value more is nor reputation, but rather having professors who cared about them and who made them more interested in what they were studying.

The Stanford report’s advice is that there’s no one-size fits-all when it comes to searching and choosing the right college. Ranking criteria are only working for a minority of students, but misdirect most others.

The report adds that “rather than choosing a school based primarily on a flawed scoring system, students should ask whether they will be engaged at the college in ways that will allow them to form strong relationships with professors and mentors, apply their learning via internships and long-term projects, and find a sense of community.”

https://www.bachelorsportal.com/articles/2700/why-studying-a-bachelors-degree-at-a-top-ranked-university-is-not-for-everyone.html 

 Here's a list of the top 100 university in the US.

https://www.google.com/search?channel=fs&client=ubuntu&q=list+of+top+ranked+universities+in+usa&ibp=htl;splinter&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiFroXI2tj5AhWpLEQIHa8ACNYQiYsCKAJ6BAgCEBU#htivrt=splinter&htidocid=AKSINxpvAO4AAAAAAAAAAA%3D%3D&fpstate=tldetail 

 

Here's GWU national ranking (#63)and higher rankings based on degree specialty

https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/george-washington-university-1444/overall-rankings 

GWU is in the top 10% of the country for international relations. More specifically it was ranked #22 out of 291 schools by College Factual. It is also ranked #2 in District of Columbia. 

During the 2019-2020 academic year, George Washington University handed out 538 bachelor's degrees in international relations and national security. Due to this, the school was ranked #1 in popularity out of all colleges and universities that offer this degree. This is a decrease of 17% over the previous year when 647 degrees were handed out.

In 2020, 334 students received their master’s degree in international relations from GWU. This makes it the #3 most popular school for international relations master’s degree candidates in the country.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving to All!

 

Are You Interested In Other Religious Holidays Besides Your Own?

The 2022-2023 Christian, Jewish and Islamic Holiday Days Calendar

In my recent posting ( Carenna's being spotlighted in the school newsletter), I mentioned that the Elliott School Staff Newsletter printed the 2022-2023 Religious Holiday Calendar that I found interesting.  If you are not narrow-minded or a religious bigot, you may also found this list informative. A Lot of these Holidays, I have not heard before. However since I am a Christian Roman Catholic, I am familiar with all Roman Catholic Feast Days listed in the calendar below. Let me know if you find this list interesting and Informative. 

2022 - 2023 Religious Holiday Calendar

Ashura August 7 - 8 Sundown Sunday-Sundown Monday Faith: Islamic Feast of the Assumption (Holy Day of Obligation) August 15 Monday Faith: Catholic Krishna Janmashtami August 18 - 19 Thursday - Friday Faith: Hindu Paryushana August 24 - 31 Wednesday-Wednesday Faith: Jain Installation of Scriptures of Guru Granth Sahib September 1 Thursday Faith: Sikh Onam August 30 -September 8 Tuesday-Thursday Faith: Hindu Ganesh Chaturthi August 31 Wednesday Faith: Hindu Rosh Hashanah September 25 - 27 Sundown Sunday - SundownTuesday Faith: Jewish Navratri September 26 - October 5 Monday - Wednesday Faith: Hindu Meskal September 27 Tuesday Faith: Ethiopian Orthodox Christian Yom Kippur October 4 - 5 Sundown Tuesday- Sundown Wednesday Faith: Jewish Dussehra (Dasara) October 5 Wednesday Faith: Hindu Mawlid-an-Nabi October 7 - 8 Sundown Friday-Sundown Saturday Faith: Islamic Sukkot October 9 - 16 Sundown Sunday- Sundown Sunday Faith: Jewish Shemini Atzeret October 16 - 18 Sundown Sunday- Sundown Faith: Jewish Simchat Torah October 17 - 18 Tuesday Sundown Monday-Sundown Tuesday Faith: Jewish Deepavali (Diwali) October 24 Monday Faith: Hindu Bandi Chhor Divas October 24 Monday Faith: Faith: Sikh Jain (Gajarati) New Year October 26 Wednesday Faith: Jain Birth of Báb October 25 - 26 Sundown Tuesday- Sundown Wednesday Faith: Baha’i Birth of Bahá’u’lláh October 26 - 27 Sundown Wednesday- Sundown Thursday Faith: Baha’i All Saint’s Day (Holy Day of Obligation) November 1 Tuesday Faith: Christian/Catholic Guru Nanak’s Birthday November 8 Tuesday Faith: Sikh Day of the Covenant November 25-26 Sundown Friday- Sundown Saturday Faith: Baha’i Bodhi Day December 8 Thursday Faith: Buddhist Immaculate Conception (Holy Day of Obligation) December 8 Thursday Faith: Catholic Hannukah/Chanukah December 18 - 26 Sundown Sunday- Sundown Monday Faith: Jewish The Nativity of Our Lord//Christmas(Holy Day of Obligation) December 25 Sunday Faith: Catholic/Christian Epiphany January 6 Friday Faith: Christian Feast of the Nativity (Eastern Orthodox Christmas) January 7 Saturday Faith: Eastern Orthodox Christian Pongal/Sankranti January 15 Saturday Faith: Hindu Timkat January 19 Thursday Faith: Ethiopian Orthodox Christian Guru Gobind Singh’s Birthday January 20 FridayFaith: Sikh

Meanwhile enjoy this photo from my album.

 

 

Introducing My Filipino-American Home Care Aide

 

Doris chopping onions and green papaya for the Chicken Tinola and Ginataan Dishes  

Today is the second day of my Home Care Aide services via the Golden Years Home Care Agency of the Sacramento Area. This morning I noticed she was in front of the house 15 minutes early. In her first day last week, she cooked Chicken Afritada and did light housekeeping with a good attitude. She is very industrious. Although she is 76 years old, she moved like a 65 year old and still active/capable to do light housekeeping. This morning she help me cook some banana/blueberry pancakes using my newly purchased pancake maker. 

Her assignment today is to prepare two chicken dishes. She is exempted from light housekeeping since my 2 cleaning ladies will be here later in the afternoon.  The first dish is Chicken Tinola ( soup with baby bok choy and green papaya). The second dish is Adobo na Manok sa Gata ( Chicken in Spicy Coconut Milk with Green Papaya).   

Her name is Doris Penas. She is a widow with 4 adults children and several grand children all residing in the Sacramento Area. She came to the US when she was 21 years old and settled with relatives in the Yuba City Area. She was born/raised in Pampanga, Philippines.  Later she married an Anglo-American with Indian ancestry and 7 years after their marriage they were divorced. Her oldest child was only 5 years old at that time.

Today she lives with her married son and daughter-in-law in Sacramento. She works because she is bored staying at home and also to be away from her daughter-in -law during the day. She told me it is sometimes hard to get along with her daughter-in-law but tries her very best not to create tension in their daily lives ( pakisama). 

I have not used her driving services. However she told me, she is familiar in driving long distances and in big cities like San Francisco and Los Angeles. Her eyes is still great and she is not wearing any glasses except for reading.   I am rating her 4 star as of today.  

Today, 11/16 is Doris second day of service. She cooked me breakfast ( Pinoy sausage and scramble eggs with tomatoes/sweet onion. With her own initiative she started cleaning the glass sliding door in the Family room. A 5 star work ethic! 

Looking forward for her future services.

Ditas and Carenna Enjoying the Sights, Sounds and Taste of NOLA

New Orleans. Louisiana is oftentimes called NOLA ( short name). The last couple of days Ditas and Carenna have been enjoying the sights, sounds and taste of NOLA. 

Ditas and Carenna posted a few pictures at Brennan's ( French Quarters, New Orleans) in Ditas Face Book Page. In one of the photos they have ordered Oysters and Banana Foster.

The photos reminded me that in the late-1970's Macrine and I were in that same restaurant. We also ordered Oysters and Banana Foster. Pleasant Memories, Indeed!  https://lifeinus1960present.blogspot.com/2015/12/23-places-in-us-that-macrine-and-i-had.html  

Here are some photos, makes me hungry. I wish, I was there with them.

 

For details and history of this restaurant and its branches, visit their website as follows:

https://www.frenchquarter-dining.com/restaurants/

Meanwhile, enjoy these 2 photos of the lobster dinner I had the other day

 

 

My Reviews of the Golden Years Home Care in the Sacramento Area

 

The other day I sign in officially for the home care services of Golden Years Home Care Agency in the Sacramento Area.  At the pre-sign up I rated the agency a 2 Star out of 5 ( reasons explained in the bottom of this article). After the first day of service, My ratings went up to a 3 Star. The following communication and my reviews as well as response from the agency describes our communication saga and my experiences with the signing process, communication issues and other concerns. I hope my reviews will help other prospective clients in deciding what home care agency to use for their Home Health and Care needs for themselves and/or their immediate families. Here are reprints of my reviews and response from the agency.

First Review: The last couple of weeks, I had discussions both phone and in person regarding my request for a home care aide to help me with light housekeeping and transportation services for doctor appointments and local errands. I requested that I prefer an aide of Filipino ancestry. I was told they have one available. I was happy to sign up but my other requirement is first I like to talk or meet this aide in person even just for a few minutes or talk in the phone. I was told this was not allowed. I have to sign first with 2 weeks advanced payment of $840 before I could see the aide who is a complete stranger. The reps of the agency after talking to her management and I agreed that I will pay $50/hr in advance for a pre-sign up meeting up to 120 minutes before I officially sign for the service. Today, I have not heard when this aide and I will meet for our first meeting. On another subject the telephone service recording of the company is confusing on the hours the agency is open.

The next day after this review was published, the agency rep called me that she finally have scheduled the pre-meeting with the aide, but required that I pay the $50 by telephone by a credit card.  After assuring me that my card is safe we scheduled the pre-meeting on Monday, 11/7 at 3:30PM. After talking to the Aide for 5 minutes I officially signed for the service. The first day of service was on 11/9 from 9AM to 3PM. That same day I received the following e-mail.

 

Response of Golden Years Management:

 

Hello Mr. Katague,

 

My name is Carrie. We spoke the first day you inquired about care services. I wanted to reach out to you due to a few things that were brought to my attention.

An office staff shared that you were trying to reach us and having some challenges doing so. Per our Handbook that you received it states that our office hours are 10am to 4pm. After hours and on weekends we have staff that monitor our phones. You are also given the opportunity to text us on our main number prior to our opening hours and after hours. That number is our same main office number, 916-333-0383. We do request that all communication be done through our main office phone number and not facebook. Any concerns and questions should be communicated through our main office. Tessa is also the care coordinator who assisted in setting up your care and will be the main contact for you to discuss any changes.

Regarding your concerns about care, as a care service agency we want you to have the best care experience possible. Per our initial conversation prior to you signing up for care services with us you requested a philloppino* caregiver, which we were able to provide. If she is not to your liking we can provide you with another caregiver. However, Golden Years can not promise a caregiver of a specific ethnicity/culture. Golden Years can promise to provide you with a caregiver that can provide the care requested. If you are not happy with our services it might be best to find another care agency or service. 

Thank you for choosing Golden Years. 

Carrie/Care Operations Supervisor

Golden Years In-Home Senior Care

Office #: 916-333-0383

 * Misspelled: Filipino is the correct spelling. Others: Pilipino, Pinay, Pinoy, Fil-Am, Filipino-American and Americans with Filipino ancestry.

 My Response to the Above E-mail:

Carrie, so far I am happy with your services. I have changed my rating of 2 star to 3 star. Yesterday, was my first day of official service. It appears that I will rate your company 4 to 5 Star if the service of your Filipino- American employee remain the same. You do not like my FB messages. I find it easy to communicate in FB compared to your main tel no, that is open only from 10-4 MF.   If you do not want clients to communicate in FB why have a FB page? Looking forward to a productive/transparent service from your agency.

PS: The main reason why a 2 Star: Your policy of not allowing Prospective clients talk or meet in person before official sign in is unreasonable. I also would like to know what is your agency policy on requiring your aides to have a 2nd Covid-19 booster shot?  As of this writing date, I have not received an answer to my question  

Here's the website of Golden Years Home Care Agency for more details:

https://www.goldenyearsinhome.com/

 

The Current Status of Home Health and Care in California

Differences Between Home Health and Home Care-I just need Home Care

Today, I started hiring a Home Care Aide through an agency, Golden Years, to help me with light housekeeping and minor transportation services. After 2 weeks of questions from four local agencies recommended by Agingcare.com and requesting for a Filipino-American Aide, I was able to find a 76-year Filipino-American home care aide. The agency has over 100 aides but only one Filipino-American.  She is 76 years old but still strong to do vacuuming and light housekeeping. Moreover, she can drive me to my medical appointments, haircut and once a month to the bank. She can drive me to the grocery store, but since, I purchased my groceries on-line ( Doordash, Caviar, Grubhub, Shef.com) this will not be needed. She comes on Monday and Wednesday from 9:00AM to 3:00PM. I pay the agency $35 per hour, but the aide is getting paid 40% of that* (verified by the aide). The major house cleaning is done by my two cleaning ladies every month. During the official hiring process the manager of Golden Years and I talk about the crises and current status of the home health care business here in California. Thus this blog.   

"In California, millions of older adults and people with disabilities get help at home with bathing, eating and cleaning, allowing them to stay in a familiar setting. Demand for these services is expected to only surge over the next decade, as the youngest of the baby boomers enter their 60s and 70s.

But the home care industry’s status quo is untenable, according to a new report by the UCLA Labor Center. Home care is prohibitively costly for many families who need the services. At the same time, the industry, which employs an estimated 700,000-plus workers, is underpaying many of them — leading to high rates of turnover and labor shortages.

Many caregivers — predominantly women of color — are not earning a living wage or receiving medical benefits, let alone able to accrue any savings.

UCLA’s survey of 500 caregivers found the median hourly rate was $14.50, while those paid a flat rate earned a median of $9.17 an hour. In one of the state’s worst-ever wage theft cases, ( see bottom of page) many members of a mostly Filipino work force at a “board and care” chain were making as little as $2.40 an hour.

Tess Sattar, who organizes with the Pilipino Workers Center, said home care workers such as herself are used to being “discriminated against, violated and exploited because of being immigrants and women of color.”

“When we get sick, we have to stay home,” Sattar said. “No work, no pay — but we have no choice. In my case, I need a job to support myself and my family.”

Researchers also surveyed more than 100 employers, including families who hire caregivers for loved ones. Lian Hurst Mann's mother needs round-the-clock care, but Mann can only afford to pay for 40 hours a week.

Mann said she and her daughter are “exhausted” providing care the rest of the time and would like to add more home care hours. But Mann said she is committed to paying the home care worker a living wage, overtime, sick leave and bonuses, under guidelines she’s following from The Hand in Hand Domestic Employers Network.

“That is a lot for us,” Mann said. “Yet for [the home care worker], it’s her entire livelihood. Like most private employers, we wish we could pay more to her — even more.”

One idea that employers such as Mann are lining up behind: a publicly-funded, long-term care program that would serve households across income brackets. Of the employers surveyed by UCLA, 85% said they would support a 1% income tax to finance the program.

“A program like this will dramatically change the landscape of home care in this state,” said Lucero Herrera, a senior research analyst with the UCLA Labor Center.

Help For Long-Term Care Is Limited

Currently, California’s only publicly supported long-term care program is restricted to residents with very low incomes. But long-term care advocates are hopeful the state will model a program after one in Washington state, which uses a .58% payroll tax, but has been slow to get off the ground. State Assembly member Eloise Gómez Reyes (D-Colton) has introduced a bill that would create a board to oversee and manage funds generated by a similar tax.

Aside from a payroll tax, UCLA researchers are recommending that more be done to connect those who need home care with caregivers, home care agencies, and board-and-care facilities, also known as residential care facilities for the elderly.

“The lack of infrastructure leaves consumers struggling to find workers and manage a work relationship with them,” Herrera said. “And it makes it hard for workers to access and know their rights.”

The report also recommends that the government set higher standards for agencies and facilities with regard to wages and worker protections; investing in home care worker co-ops that will prioritize the treatment of its members; and providing education for employers so they can understand their obligations to staff, as well as for workers so they become familiar with labor laws.

Assembly member Adrin Nazarian (D-North Hollywood), who chairs the Assembly’s Aging and Long Term Care Committee, said he has asked for tens of millions of dollars in the upcoming budget year for initiatives such as providing education to more caregivers of patients with Alzheimer's and dementia, and expanding training programs for home health aides".

https://laist.com/news/health/millions-of-californians-need-home-care-industry-in-crisis-ucla-labor-center-report 

*Wage Theft Is A Problem In Elder ‘Board & Care’ Homes — And Caregivers Of Color Are Bearing The Brunt

By  Josie Huang

Published Jan 7, 2022 2:57 PM

https://laist.com/news/health/wage-theft-elder-board-and-care-homes-caregivers-filipino

Meanwhile enjoy this photo from my collection;

 

 

Grand Daughter Carenna Katague Thompson Spotlighted in School Newsletter

Carenna is freshman at the Elliott School of International Affairs at the University of Washington in DC. She a Student staff member and spotlighted on the current issue of their school newspaper-The Elliott Insider. This is a monthly newsletter for the Elliott Staff. In this November issue there is a list of the 2022-2023 Religious Holidays Calendar observed by Christians, Jews, Muslims and other religions of the World. A very informative calendar if you are interested of other cultures in the world besides your own.   

I am so proud of her accomplishments. Note that she mentioned in the interview  two favorite filipino food- Lumpia and Pancit . I am indeed s very, very proud LOLO  Here's the article. 

Meet Carenna Thompson Public Affairs Work Study Student

Favorite Halloween candy? Reese's, any Reese's product, but the original is the best. Your best ever Halloween costume and how old were you? In preschool, I dressed up as Mavis from Thomas the Train. Favorite Holiday and why? Thanksgiving. It's the food. We love traditional Thanksgiving food at my house and Filipino food like Lumpia and Pancit, so it's like my two favorite cultures coming together. What's your opinion on dressing up pets on holidays? As long as they're comfortable. I have a border collie corgi and sometimes I dress him up. Now more serious topics. What are you studying? International Affairs and Geography What do you hope to do in the future? Hopefully work for an NGO focused on climate change. You went to an IB high school in the Netherlands. What was that like compared to your typical American peers? What I really enjoyed was that I got to pursue my passions early, like Global Politics. It was an international boarding school so I got to live with and grow up with people from all over the world, so I think it broadened my horizons in terms of culture and experiences. What's the best thing about living in the DMV? The Mall and Rock Creek Park. I love just walking along the Mall, it's just a few blocks away and it's so spacious and open. Rock Creek is great because it seems like you're deep in the heart of nature even while you are in the middle of the city.

 Meanwhile enjoy this photo from my collection.

Where is Carenna in this photo?

 

Fifteen Free Streaming Services for Your Favorite Movies/Documentaries

 

The last couple of months I have been enjoying old but award winning movies and documentaries for free on my PC and TV as well as new releases ( The Watcher in Netflix and House of the Dragons on HBOMax). Although I have subscription to Amazon Pride Video and Netflix as well as free access to HBO Max and Showtime, once in a while I watched the free old movies on TUBI and in YOUTUBE. These channels have good collection of International old movies and TV series as well as documentaries.   

There are several free streaming services for TV movies, documentaries and other shows. The 15 are listed in the Reference at the bottom of this page. Of the 15, I have used TUBI, Peacock, YouTube, Filmrise, Vimeo and Crackle. Filmrise and Vimeo are not in the list.

My two favorites are the TUBI and Peacock Channels. Here are the names of the free TV streaming services, ( For description read the reference at bottom of the page.

Freevee, Roku, Tubi, Pluto, Peacock, Crackle, Kanopy, Popcornflix, Hoopla, Xumo, YouTube, Vudu, Yidio, Reelgood and DistroTV. 

Have you tried other free streaming services not in the list?

Note that the movies are free but are not ad-free. If you hate the ads these are not the channels you will enjoy, In my case, I just mute, when the ads are on. Here's the reference for your information.

 https://parade.com/943656/alexandra-hurtado/free-streaming-services-sites-tv-movie/  

Meanwhile, here's a list of popular ( subscription) streaming services in the US. My Favorites are Netflix, Prime Video, Showtime and HBQ Max.

https://www.justwatch.com/us 

Meanwhile enjoy this photo from my collection

A Perfect Rose from My Garden!!!
 

 

Are You a Dog or Cat Lover?

 

Batman and Robin( top photo)-My two current naughty but loving Companions

Last April, Ditas, Carenna and I adopted two cats who were only 3 and 4 months old. We named them Batman and Robin. The two were buddies in the Animal Shelter, sharing the same cage. They were both neutered males.  Batman was older and bigger. To my surprise the younger and smaller Robin has a more dominant and aggressive personality. Batman is calm and independent. Robin is mischievous, naughty and very needy. Both of them take turns setting on my lap while I am watching TV or in my computer. Adapting the two of them instead of just one is the best decision I have made.       

For the last six decades, the David B Katague clan had owned several dogs and cats. When the 4D's ( Dodie, Dinah, David E and Ditas) were growing up in Kansas City, and California) we have several dogs of various breeds, from German Shepherd to Chow Chow. We also had cats ( Kalua) for pets. However, we have more dogs than cats. Today, daughter Ditas has a dog ( Leif) and Dinah has a cat ( Mango) and I have 2 cats ( Batman and Robin). The other day Dinah and her Cat Mango visited me and we talked about the differences of the personality between dog and cat owners. Thus this blog.   

Mango-Dinah's Cat-Dinah said Mango reminds her of Kalua- our first pet cat
 

There has been an endless unspoken friendly war between cat and dog owners for years. How and where it began is a mystery and it will probably remain that way. It’s been researched and it’s been debated that there is a difference in personality between dog and cat owners. There is some truth in these facts that dog lovers tend to be more outgoing, adventurous and energetic whereas cat lovers are more introverted, sensitive and less adventurous. Here are the differences of owning a dog versus a cat(s). You probably know all these if you have dogs and cats before. For more details visit the site at the bottom of this page.

Owning a Dog

Dogs are extremely loyal: Dogs are usually 100% committed to you and will go to lengths to protect you.

Dogs are energetic and playful: Most dog breeds love to play and run around, so you’ll have to be quite an energetic person.

Dogs love to exercise: Dogs are great exercise buddies at least twice a day.

Dogs are family friendly: If you have a family, they’ll make great family members and they are lovable.

Dogs need training: Unlike cats, dogs need more training to avoid behavioural problems in the future.

Dogs don’t clean up after themselves: Dog’s don’t clean up after themselves like cats do.

Dogs are expensive: Dogs need dog food, yearly check-ups, grooming and dog kennels when you go away.

Dogs eat more than cats: Most likely, you’ll spend more on pet food if you own a dog.

Owning a Cat

Cats are very clean: Cats clean up after themselves and they don’t need regular baths.

Cats don’t need regular exercise: If you are a home body, then a cat is the perfect pet for you.

Cats are great company: Cats (usually) love to cuddle and snuggle on your lap. They’ll reward you with a purr.

Cats are more independent: Cats don’t need looking after every minute of the day.

Cats can be distant: Most cats leave when they feel they’ve had enough attention.

Cats love to claw furniture: If not taught not to, your cat will claw your curtains, couches, chairs or any other furniture.

Cats can’t be confined: Cats are not happy being kept ‘indoors’, so they’ll probably disappear for hours.

Cats are night owls: Cats love the night and they might keep you up during the night.

Cats vs Dogs Ownership Statistics

19 dogs for every 100 people

15 cats for every 100 people

https://www.petinsuranceaustralia.com.au/dog-lovers-vs-cat-lovers/

Meanwhile enjoy this photo of Sitka, Alaska sunrise by Ditas