While your home should be a safe sanctuary for your family,
accidents can happen. We believe that being forewarned is being forearmed. If
you don’t already have homeowners insurance, it is highly recommended as there
is liability insurance built in which can protect both your family and others
in the event of an accident.

1. Falls are the leading cause of accidental deaths in the
   home, claiming nearly 6,000 lives per year. Making sure your home is up to code
   (using an InterNACHI-certified inspector) can reduce the possibility of
   accidents in the home by eliminating dangers.
2. Poisonings come in second in leading causes of deaths around
   the home with nearly 5,000 victims per year. Medication overdoses top the
   causes of poisoning claiming mostly young and middle-aged people. Always follow
   directions and never mix prescriptions with alcohol.
3. Burns are the third leading cause of accidental fatalities
   in the home with more than 3,000 deaths per year. Making sure you have properly
   working smoke alarms in every room and outside of every sleeping area will
   greatly reduce fire injury. Again, having a home that is up to code is huge for
   reducing fires in general with many accidental fires being caused by electrical
   outlet shorts, improperly maintained water heaters and furnaces, and burn outs.
4.  Choking, suffocation,
   and strangulation claims nearly 1,000 individuals per year, mostly children.
   Keep all extras out of infants’ cribs as they can roll over and suffocate in
   their sleep. Even in older children’s beds, make sure anything they could
   possibly choke on is out of the bed before bedtime.
5. Last but not least, is water-related deaths with nearly 800 mortalities
   annually. Children and the elderly are the most susceptible to this problem.
   annually. Children and the elderly are the most susceptible to this problem.
   There should be at least a 4-foot high fence around all pools, spas, and ponds in
   your backyard and children should always be within arm’s reach while playing
   around water. Even in the bathtub, children should never be left unattended as
   it is possible to drown in as little as one inch of water.

While accidents can happen anywhere and at any time, knowing
the risks, can help to prevent the unexpected. Call up Sweeney & Sweeney
today to get a quote, and to make sure you, your family, and friends are
completely covered.

In this summer heat, energy bills tend to sky rocket as you
struggle to keep your house cool. Don’t think there’s anything you can do to
keep the house comfortable without paying a fortune? Sweeney & Sweeney is
here to help! We’ve compiled a few tips to help you keep costs down all over
the place.

• Turn off the AC whenever possible. I know for the last
  couple weeks it was staying unsleepably warm overnight, but now that the cooler
  temps are back, go ahead and flip off the AC on your way to bed and open up the
  windows.
• Cook outside as much as possible. Using the oven and stove
  just produces more heat that has nowhere to go, so it ends up just heating up
  your house even more. Plus, what’s more summer-y than grilling?
• If you can, try putting up a clothes line outside and air
  dry your laundry instead of putting it through the dryer. Dryers can also heat
  up the house. This tip also lowers your electric bill because you’re not using
  the extra energy running the dryer!
• Probably one of the cheapest ways you can keep your AC at
  top efficiency is by simply changing your filters. When these get dirty and
  clogged, it causes the AC to work harder and run longer. Filters can run as cheap
  as a few dollars so go ahead and change them regularly.

We all know how frustrating and expensive it can be to keep
the sweltering heat at bay out here, but we hope that these few tips help you
take some pressure off your wallet. Stay cool! -from everyone at here at Sweeney
& Sweeney hoping you have an enjoyable summer.

It’s National Blueberry Month! We all know that blueberries
are good for you, but do you really know just how beneficial they can be? There
are tons of amazing benefits to eating blueberries (other than they’re
delicious!). Just a half a cup a day can prevent many illnesses and even
reverse the effects of some diseases.

• Check out this great recipe: 2c brown sugar, 2 tsp puréed
  blueberries, and 3 Tbsp lemon juice. The blueberries in this awesome facial
  scrub soften skin, the lemon juice brightens your complexion, while the sugar
  exfoliates.
• Like cranberries, blueberries contain compounds that prevent
  bacteria from adhering to the walls of your bladder which can ward off UTI’s.
  If you get one, toss a handful of blueberries into your smoothie!
• Did you know that blueberries can fight off cancer. Their
  anthocyanins attack cancer-causing free radicals and can even prevent the
  growth of tumor cells.
• A study in England has suggested that blueberries can
  reverse age-related memory loss due to their being chock-full of flavonoids.

So in honor of National Blueberry Month, so out and
stock up! For some extra points, go check out a farmer’s market (such as Chico’s
Thursday Night Market) and get some locally grown organic blueberries so you
can also benefit our community and environment. Stay healthy and happy, from
everyone here at Sweeney & Sweeney!

I know we’ve all been guilty of it at some time or another:
sneaking the pup scraps from our plate, taking them to see the fireworks with
us, and I’ve definitely seen more than a few of my friends slip some beer into
the dog’s dish. But these habits that you probably think are harmless, could
actually be detrimental to your furry friend.

• Don’t let your pet get into the alcohol. Alcohol can poison
  animals and possibly lead to coma or even death due to respiratory failure.
• Don’t put any non-pet-approved sunscreens or bug sprays on
  your canine companion. Ingestion of these chemicals can cause vomiting,
  diarrhea, lethargy, and DEET can lead to neurological problems.
• Make sure all matches and lighter fluid is somewhere where your
  pets can’t get into them. Ingestion can cause difficulty breathing or even
  kidney disease.
• Don’t feed your little one anything outside of their normal
  diet as it can cause them digestion problems (especially in older pets).
• Keep all glow sticks away from your pets. Serious
  gastrointestinal irritation could occur from ingesting both the chemicals and
  the plastic.
• Keep pets away from citronella candles and other insect
  repellent products as the inhalation of fumes can cause central nervous system
  depression and aspiration pneumonia.
• Don’t take the pets around the fireworks. Whether you’re
  just setting little ones off in the streets, or watching the main event, they’re
  not good for your furry friends. Street sparklers and fireworks can lead to
  burns and other trauma and the big fireworks are too loud for their ears and
  can be antagonizing and scary.

It’s fine to want to share the festivities with your
four-legged buddies, but just keep these tips in mind to make sure that both of
you are having a good time all day and night. Sweeney & Sweeney wishes
everyone a happy and safe holiday. Happy Independence Day everyone!

Are you stuck at home with some bored kids? These rainy days
can be hard with the little ones unable to go out and play. Don’t fret! There are
plenty of fun rainy day activities to get involved in. Here are just a few
suggestions to get the creative juices flowing: 

• Make homemade play dough – 1/4 cup salt, 1 cup flour, and 1/4
  cup water. Have your child mix the flour and salt in a bowl then add water.
  Knead and squeeze the dough to make a clay consistency. You may need to add
  more water. Ideas: Divide into sections, then knead in food coloring (liquid or
  paste). Kids love making the white play dough change colors. Use unsweetened
  Kool-Aid for color and scent. Add glitter for sparkly play dough.
• Homemade putty – Just mix some cornstarch and water together until you get
  the right consistency. The same ideas apply for the play dough and in addition,
  if your kids are a little older, you can implement a mini physics lesson by
  explaining why the putty acts the way that it does.
• Build a fort – get all of your chairs, couch cushions, and blankets
  together and you can build a tent for camping, a ship for oceanic adventures, a
  castle to be defended, etc. With a fort, the possibilities are endless!
• Head over to the grocery store and ask for a box or two big enough to fit
  your kid(s), then when you get home … turn it into a racecar! Just decorating
  the box and turning it into a car can take a couple hours in and of itself then
  you can set up a track with other household items and hold races! 

We hope these ideas help to keep your little ones occupied
and kick up the fun level on this gloomy day! We also know that stormy days can
bring accidents with them, so don’t hesitate to call us with your claim
reports, or even just your questions. 

Disability claims happen all the time. However, knowledge is power! If you know what the most common types of claims are, it can help you to stay at work and affliction free. Each year Unum puts out a report about the top reasons for
both long-term disability and short-term disability claims. For 2012, they came
up with these results: 

Long-term Disability

1.     
Cancer accounted for 16% of the LTD claims last year,
although many people are able to get into recovery and return to work.

2.     
Back pain disorders made up 15.1% of claims. Really
just a reminder to be careful and take care of their backs.

3.     
Injuries estimated 9.8% of last year’s LTD claims and
are the hardest claims to prevent.

4.     
Tied with injuries at 9.8%, is behaviourial health
claims which are not often covered under a traditional health plan. If you have
a family history, be sure to check with your health insurance representative
about coverage.

5.     
Circulatory disorders come in at 9% of all long-term
claims. We know we should be taking
better care of our hearts, but are you doing all that you need to be? 

Short-term Disability

1.     
The number one short-term “disability” claim is
maternity. Normal, healthy pregnancies make up 18.9% of claims.

2.     
Injuries (non-back-related) also amass 10% of short-term
disabilities or nearly 14% of non-maternity-related claims.

3.     
8.4% of claims are due to pregnancy complications.

4.     
Kind of a surprising one, 8% of claims are related to
digestive problems. I suppose that’s just another reason to eat your fiber!

5.     
In addition to being number 3 reason for long-term
disability claims, back problems also come in at number 5 at 7.1% for short-term
claims. 

Knowing what kinds of things lead to claims, can help
you avoid them. Some things are unavoidable, like pregnancy complications, but
most claims can be deflected by taking a little more care in your tasks, and
taking preventative measures. Everyone at Sweeney & Sweeney just wants you
to be happy, healthy, and safe. Call us today to find out how we can help you
save on all of your coverage!

“Mom! I’m bored!” This is a phrase that you can hear echoing
all around you in the Summer months when school’s out. Younger kids and
teenagers alike seem to get bored pretty quickly once school’s no longer in
session and then you’re stuck with a bunch of stir crazy rugrats on your hands
that can make you want to pull your hair out. So to help you get some relief
and help them expel some of that excess energy, we’ve compiled a list of
activities for all of your children. 

• Go to the library and get a few books on local
  plants and animals then go on a hike. Make up a prize for whoever can find the
  most plants/animals. I think this is a great idea because it’s exercise,
  learning, a treat, fresh air, and exploration all rolled into one, neat, cheap
  package.
• Plant a garden! I think this project works the
  best with more than one child, have each kid plant their own little patch with
  2 or 3 plants and have it be their responsibility to take care of it.
  Responsibility makes kids feel good about themselves, and if you plant foods,
  the mature plants are their own reward. Make a whole dinner out of the fruits
  and veggies from your garden.
• Have a water balloon fight! There is no one of any age who doesn’t love a good old
  fashioned water balloon fight. You can even use the popped balloon pieces for a
  craft! (Be sure you pick up every
  piece of balloon as they can pose hazards for wildlife who eat the little
  pieces, mistaking them for food)
• Teens often have a need to fill large chunks of
  time. For younger teens, volunteering at a local animal shelter, food bank,
  etc. You can also look into getting them a paper route as a way to make some
  extra spending money. For older teens, picking up a summer job is always a good
  way to earn some extra cash, build responsibility, and it’ll help them to start
  building a résumé even if they’re just mowing lawns or babysitting for
  neighbouring working parents.
• Look into classes for your teens at your local
  YMCA or junior college. This is a great chance for them to take a class in
  something they’re really interested in like dance, cooking, language, sports,
  etc. Get them excited about their collegiate future and school in general! (This
  is also something you could do with your kids if your schedule allows J) 

We hope these at least help stir the creative juices for
figuring out something to do to alleviate the summertime slag. From everyone
here at Sweeney & Sweeney, have a happy, fun, and safe summer!