Why Do It Yourself Cleaning
Isn't Good Enough
July 28, 2019 by David Scott
After the tragic mass shooting that took place in Virginia Beach that took place on May 31, 2019, the City paid a company $500,000 to clean up the aftermath of the incident that left 13 dead and 4 wounded.
While that staggering amount is a reminder of how horrific that shooting was, even a much smaller event requires professional cleaning services.
If a suicide, unattended death, or other tragedy takes place in your home, you may have the urge to start cleaning as soon as possible. You might even think that the space that needs cleaning isn’t in bad enough condition to require a professional clean up company—but you’d be wrong.
The goal in this type of cleaning is to remove all biohazard materials, and that’s extremely difficult to accomplish with DIY cleaning. Body fluids and other matter can be difficult to see or can be hidden under flooring or in cracks and crevices.
While an untrained person could easily leave such matter behind, highly trained extreme cleaners will remove it all safely and thoroughly.
Speaking of safety, coming into contact with blood and other body fluids is a concern when considering a DIY cleanup. Just wearing a pair of rubber gloves isn’t enough to protect you from infection, hepatitis, and other blood borne illnesses.
Biohazard cleanup specialists don’t wear special suits because they think they look great in yellow; it’s because that’s what’s require to avoid contact with potentially dangerous fluids.
Instead of taking chances with your safety and possibly leaving biohazard material behind, choose a qualified extreme cleaning company with the knowledge and experience to complete the job thoroughly and safely.
Bio-One is the Tucson area’s trusted choice for all types of extreme cleaning services. Benefits of working with us include:
· We work with all major home insurance companies.
· Insurance covers 95% of the work we do.
· Our team provides compassionate, non-judgmental, and discreet services.
· We offer competitive prices.
· You can reach the owner directly 24/7.
· We have the proper training, licenses, insurance to handle biohazard materials.
We hope you’ll never need our services, but we’re here for you if you do. Call Bio-One today at 520-771-5960 to learn more or fill out our online contact form now to get in touch.
How to Help an Elderly or Shut-In Neighbor
July 22, 2019 by DAVID SCOTT
When the stories hit the paper about a person dying and not being found for weeks or even months, many people wonder how that could happen. Unfortunately, it’s more common that you might think.
Elderly people and those who live alone without a local support system may not be soon missed. A quick Google search for something like “shut-ins in Tucson” gives you a glimpse into the scope of the problem as many organizations are dedicated to bringing food to, spending holidays with, and checking on those who may have no one else.
At Bio-One, we receive more calls than we’d like about unattended deaths. It’s always sad to think of someone dying alone, but is there anything we can do to prevent it and to ensure that someone notices when these valuable members of our society are missing?
This problem is an example of one that is best solved on an individual level.
If everyone who had an elderly neighbor who lived alone took just a few minutes each day to check on them, it would safeguard against no one noticing if they were missing for weeks.
Here are some ways you can help your neighbors who are elderly or shut-ins:
· Make friends with your neighbor and let them know you’re available to run to the grocery store. Of course, you have your own life to live, but offer to pick up some things for her when you make your normal grocery run.
· Once a friendship is established, ask if they’d mind if you called once or twice a day just to see if they’re doing OK. A quick two or three minute call will not only allow you to make sure your neighbor is OK, but will help them feel connected to the outside world—and that’s a bigger deal than you might think.
· Keep it light and happy when you’re around them. This is your chance to be a bright spot in the life of someone who needs it—and you should never miss such a chance.
· If possible, invite them to share a meal on significant holidays and try to learn their birthday so you can acknowledge it in some small way.
· If you’re unable to reach your neighbor during one of your regular phone calls, go to her house to check on her. If she doesn’t answer the door, call the police to do a wellness check.
Those are just a few examples of the ways that giving just a little of your time can make a huge difference in the lives of others and prevent the scenes that Bio-One is called upon to cleanup far too often.
If you have need of extreme cleaning services, contact us for more information or to schedule a free consultation.
Animal Hoarding:
Companions to prisoners in their own home
July 19, 2019 by David Scott
Most people grow up understanding the significance of having a furry, loving companion to play with when you and your siblings weren’t getting along. Your childhood pet probably provided recollections that can’t be replaced. These fond memories often pour into adult lives as we choose new pets to replace the ones we’ve lost. You may find yourself making a home for numerous animals so that each person in your home can have their very own pet. If this doesn’t describe you, you can probably imagine a friend’s home you visit where you are met with three excited dogs while a couple cats sit on the back of the couch.
While some people have more pets than others would prefer, this is not completely abnormal. However, this can become an issue for the owner, as well as the pets, when there are more animals than the owner can properly care for. Animal hoarding is a real, and all too common, problem that may occur gradually. It may begin with the saving of a few strays. The next thing you know there are 10-15 dogs ruining a home with destruction, feces, urine, and the owner finds themselves unable to physically or financially care for them.
People who hoard animals clearly believe they are helping these animals by saving them from a bad situation where they were unloved. They typically take in strays, though sometimes purchase the animals, adopted them or even steal them from other people’s yards. Animals collected may range in species from cats and dogs to reptiles, rodents, birds and even farm animals.
These individuals often give all of their affection to their animals. In doing so, they are shutting out the humans in their lives. This leads to their social isolation, followed by the need to acquire more animals, and the endless downward spiral is formed. Characteristics of a person who is hoarding animals may include:
· Having numerous animals and may not know the total number of animals in their care.
· Often blind to the fact that their animals are suffering
· Deny their inability to care for the animals
· Isolates themselves from the community and appears to neglect their own health
Even though an animal hoarder may appear to love their “pets”, once the situation gets out of control, the home dwelling becomes a bio-hazard. Lack of sanitation endangers the health of the animals and their caretakers. Some physical signs of animal hoarding may include the following situations:
· Pets become injured, diseased, malnourished and un-socialized, which leads to fights with each other and their owners
· Their home is deteriorated (dirty windows, broken furniture, holes in wall and floor, extreme clutter and filth)
· There is a strong smell of ammonia, and floors may be covered with dried feces, urine and vomit
· Animals are scrawny, sluggish and not well socialized
· Fleas and vermin are present
Each year, over 250,000 animals are victims of hoarders. Animal hoarders range in age, and can be men or women of any race or ethnic group. They often have an unusually high tolerance for poor hygiene and a mistaken sense of their caretaking abilities. Elderly people may be more at risk, due to their own deteriorating health and isolation from the community.
While animal hoarding is usually a sign of an untreated mental health disorder a specific root cause remains a mystery. Experts suggest that experiences during a person’s childhood could be a main cause. Perhaps there was an absent, abusive or inconsistent relationship with the primary caregiver. This can lead to a difficulty in forming connections with other people. Animals, in turn, wind up becoming a substitute for human companionship.
When someone hoards inanimate objects, mental health professionals tell us that this is a type of Obsessive-Compulsive disorder. The person may obsess over the thought of something terrible happening as soon as they get rid of a certain object. They will preserve the object to reduce that stress and the obsessive thoughts may fade away. But the motivation to hoard animals may arise for different reasons.
These reasons often include an uncontrollable urge to “rescue” animals or caring for animals that no one else wants. This may stem from childhood neglect. The person usually starts out as a typical pet owner. As they care for their pets, and receive unconditional love from these animals they begin taking in a few more animals at a time. Before they know it, the home is filled with 30 or 40 animals. These people often have good intentions, but it eventually gets out of hand.
Some research suggests that collecting animals points toward attachment disorders and depression or other mental illnesses. Some animal hoarders began collecting after a traumatic event or loss. Other research suggests that animal hoarding can be related to addictive behavior.
Animal hoarding has consequences for the person who is hoarding, their family, their neighborhood, and the welfare of the animals as well. The hoarder will argue strongly about how much they love the animals, but in most cases the animals are actually suffering.
Because of the mental disconnect these individuals may have from reality, it is important for friends and family to approach the situation delicately. Try to express your genuine concern for the person’s health and safety. As draining as the situation may be, try not to yell at the person who is hoarding. Your anger will only cause them to become more stubborn in their position. Remember, the person is blind to the real condition of their animals. Sometimes it can help to take photos and show them to the owner after you get them to a different location from their home. This may allow them to see the reality of the situation.
Hoarded animals are usually injured, diseased, malnourished and un-socialized. You can contact your local animal control department if you suspect an animal hoarder in your community but also reach out to social service groups like a department of aging, a health department or a mental health agency.
Cleaning out an animal hoarder’s home is overwhelming and even dangerous. It’s best to hire professional help for a hoarding cleanup. Bio-One is a team of trusted Tucson hoarding cleanup specialists. Our compassionate, professional team has helped many people reclaim their homes from this condition.
Rather than showing up with shovels to empty out the home, we work closely with the homeowner and the family from start to finish. The Bio-One team is committed to making our clients feel safe and comfortable throughout the process.
You trust your loved one’s treatment to the mental professionals, so trust the hoarding cleanup to the experienced professionals as well.
Contact Bio-One today at 520-771-5960 or www.BioOneTucson.com for more information about our comprehensive cleanup services and to schedule a no-obligation consultation and accurate cost estimate.
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Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry's standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book. It has survived not only five centuries, but also the leap into electronic typesetting, remaining essentially unchanged. It was popularised in the 1960s with the release of Letraset sheets containing Lorem Ipsum passages, and more recently with desktop publishing software like Aldus PageMaker including versions of Lorem Ipsum.
Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry's standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book. It has survived not only five centuries, but also the leap into electronic typesetting, remaining essentially unchanged. It was popularised in the 1960s with the release of Letraset sheets containing Lorem Ipsum passages, and more recently with desktop publishing software like Aldus PageMaker including versions of Lorem Ipsum.
For firefighters and police officers, a regular day at work can involve daily close encounters with danger, chaos and tragedy. These courageous men and women understand their job includes saving the lives of others, and at times that life may be too far gone to save. They understand a normal traffic stop may turn into the end of their watch forever. They understand that when they leave their family to begin their shift, they risk never coming home. Regardless, they bravely gear up and take on every call, prepared to give their citizens what they need rather it be to save, arrest, counsel, or protect. Nevertheless; they are always prepared for the worse.
First responders are the ones familiar with situations such as:
· the deceased infant whose mother simply got sick of hearing her cry
· the guy hyped up on PCP who kicks out the back window of the squad car
· the active shooter in the Target parking lot
· the fatal accident leaving one child alive with no parents
Over time, exposure to such stress can take a toll on the mental health of these first responders. The memories often creep back up into their thoughts, even when everything seems fine on the outside. Talking about their day to loved ones isn’t usually on their top list of things to do. If you have a loved one who is a first responder, they might tell you about a bad call they had. Though, they probably will not include the detail of terror that was involved and what it is doing to them.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may result from some of these situation, with symptoms including:
· Flashbacks, nightmares, and intrusive memories
· Emotional numbness
· Extreme worry, guilt, anger or hopelessness
· Avoidance of people, places or things that are reminders of the trauma
· A loss of interest in things that once gave pleasure
· Feeling anxious, on edge or jumpy, and easily angered
· Sleep issues
· Problems with alcohol or drugs
· Suicidal thoughts
When a first responder experiences a traumatic event beyond the range of a typical human experience, they may feel threatened or have feelings of helplessness, fear, or loathing. Although it can feel overwhelming, PTSD is treatable.
It isn’t easy for a person who is supposed to be the hero to just let their guard down and open up about feelings. These individuals understand that trauma is part of their job and they don’t want to admit to others (or themselves) that they are having difficulty with the feelings that arise from doing their job. It may not be an easy process, but it is a necessary one.
According to a University of Phoenix survey from 2017, 85% of first responders have experienced symptoms related to mental health issues. Of those surveyed, 10% were diagnosed with PTSD. Though, the problem goes beyond PTSD, especially when no treatment is sought. Approximately 1 in 4 police officers reported having thought about committing suicide at some point in their life. In 2017, an estimated 103 firefighters and 140 police officers took their own lives.
Certain factors have been found to aid the recovery of PTSD. These actions reinforce feelings of support, hope and sense of control. Some of these include:
· Peer and community support: Strong emotional connections in the community and a feeling of belonging can help prevent PTSD. Group discussions among peers who have experienced the same symptoms can help build a support group within the department.
· Stress management and therapy: Positive coping strategies learned through Cognitive Behavioral Therapy can help first responders gain resilience against traumatic experiences and treat symptoms of trauma.
Some departments may be equipped with an onsite psychologist. If this is not the case, there are many treatment facilities around the country who have PTSD specialists.
First responders choose their profession for the same reason everyone else does. It is a career that makes them feel like they are making a difference or it simply makes them happy to do something they love! Though it is rare for a Real Estate Agent be asked about the details of their job at a dinner party. But for first responders, it never fails. It starts with “This is my friend, he’s a firefighter”. It seems like an innocent introduction and the friend means no harm, of course. Though that introduction is always followed with the question; “What’s the worst call you’ve ever been on?” or “What’s the worst thing you’ve seen on the job?”
Rather you are the person asking or the first responder on the other end of the inquiry, these types of questions can cause damage to the hard mental work someone has done to heal from this event. “Worst days” will be more than the copier eating an original legal document or your co-workers leaving a disgusting mess in the breakroom. First responders are exposed to disturbing or traumatic events nearly every day during the course of their jobs. As a result, mental health issues are more common among first responders than individuals in most other professions.
It is a better tactic to ask a first responder about the funniest call they’ve been on, rather than the most traumatic one. That usually provides you with the better story anyway. If you are the firefighter or police officer, the next time someone asks you about your worst day on the job, don’t feel bad about telling them that you’ve seen a lot of worst days and you’d rather not talk about them.
While it’s both cliché and truth to say that police officers and firefighters loathe admitting weakness. They’re used to being the ones that solve problems rather than admit that they have them. But accepting help or attending therapy should not be considered a weakness in this situation. It should be seen as high-level training!
Do emergency personnel not maintain their vehicles, equipment and weapons? Of course! While it is part of their job, they even maintain their firearms training, hand to hand combat skills, medical certifications and more. Yet fire and police stations leave the most important tool unattended: their mental health. Maintaining positive mental health is essential to the performance of these jobs. Attending therapy or treatment shouldn’t be viewed as a flaw. It may save lives.
Bio-One is here to Help First, Business Second
When you request a service, our team focuses on accomplishing one goal: helping you. That’s why our professional technicians are on standby 24/7, every day of the year. We have the experience, training and licensing to get the job done efficiently, and can generally reach the scene within an hour. After we’ve made sure that you’re safe and the site does not pose a hazard to others, we’ll talk business. Because at Bio-One, we understand that compassion and expediency are requisites for helping you overcome a challenging situation. Our motto, “Help First, Business Second,” is a promise to you and an obligation for us. It’s indispensable to our aim of providing you with the best service the industry has to offer.
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