James D. Peros C.A. C.P.A

TECHNOLOGY  Technology for Seniors  Innovative software relieves the burden of looking after elderly parents.  Many owner-managers in their thirties and forties or even older not only have to run their businesses but also have to look after growing children as well as aging parents. These owner-managers are part of the so-called “sandwich generation,” trying to be successful business people but also caught between two levels of family responsibility. First, they have to cope with the physical and mental exhaustion of the job, then take on the responsibilities of caring for parents who might have reached the “criticalneeds” point in their lives. Add to that the potential high costs associated especially with seniors’ residences and the time-consuming responsibilities of being power of attorney and it is little wonder the sandwich generation is looking for help. There are, of course, marginally beneficial tax breaks and social programs that assist, but these cannot m...

You Need One of These  Good low-cost printing is now available for small businesses.  Even though the amount of printing being done today is declining because so much data can be stored for instant retrieval on hard drives or the Cloud, every small business should still have a printer. Today’s multifunction printer (MFP) provides an owner-managed office with most of the capabilities offered by a printing company but at a starting price of about $1,300 for colour and between $500 and $600 for black and white. If you are considering replacing the old printer or cancelling your lease contract, consider the features now offered on printers that support both Mac and Windows operating systems and are not much bigger than a microwave oven. Features  Most MFPs have the following features:  colour and black and white capability  ability to print on various media of varying size and weight as well as labels and vinyl  LCD touch screens  ability to print from a...

Tech Stress… It’s a Pain  Bad posture and overuse of smartphones and other devices can cause unexpected health problems.  A recent British study of smartphone use showed that young adults checked their smartphones 85 times a day and used them for a total of five hours of use per day. The long-term effects of such constant smartphone use are not yet known but, if current studies and reports by the medical profession are any indication of the future, it would be advisable for all users to consider the impact smartphones and similar devices can have on their health. In the Short Term   Text neck : a neck strain resulting from hunching over smartphones, tablets, or laptops for prolonged periods. Stress on the neck and upper back muscles causes pain because the body is subjected to an unnatural position for extended periods of time. Text claw : a hand or wrist strain that occurs from continuous scrolling, texting or gaming. Individuals may also experience numbness i...