An Aging in Place Couple Learn About Preventing Falls
12 May 2012 Leave a Comment
in Aging in Place, Senior Safety Tags: accessibility, adaptations, aging in place, fall prevention, safety, seniors
Elsie and John received a shocking call about their good friend who had fallen and broken their hip. This news really bothered Elsie, especially since she noticed John was stumbling a little more these days.
Elsie spoke to their family doctor and he gave her a booklet that had some great ideas. She set about making some changes around the home.
One of the first things she did was clear up some of the clutter that had accumulated around their home. She had her daughter help her move the furniture that was in the high traffic areas out of the way. She also removed the throw rugs that they had in the hallways and under some of the furniture.
This worked well until John saw what they were doing and he got upset. “Why are you picking up those rugs? I like those there and I want you to put them back down!”
“John, you are having some problems lately with your balance and when I spoke with the doctor he suggested we follow the tips in the booklet he gave us,” said Elsie. “I don’t want you to end up like Don and break your hip!”
“I want those down! I won’t trip over those but I will slip on the floor. Isn’t there a way we can get them to sit so they won’t slide around?”
“Well, I guess we can get the tape that will anchor it down. I did notice the ones we purchased last month have a good backing, I think we are okay with those,” sighed Elsie.
“Good, now what else do we need to do? I can help too, you know. Unfortunately, this new medicine does make me a little unsteady at times. “
“John, why don’t you figure out how we can get those cords rearranged so they aren’t going across the floor there. Why do we have those there?” Elsie said pointing toward the cord crossing from the receptacle to the lamp next to the doorway.
“Good idea. You are right, we should rearrange those. Let’s see what we can do. I have been meaning to get to that anyway. What else do we need to do?” John asked as he walked toward the living room.
“I think removing the cords, anchoring the throw rugs and making sure they have good backing and also moving furniture and stuff out of the walkways will help a lot. I feel so badly about Don, John! Let’s keep us safe, okay?”
Guest Post: Top Tech Gadgets for Senior Citizens Who Love to Travel
17 Apr 2012 2 Comments
(*While I do not necessarily endorse or promote any of these products, this guest post written by: Alyssa Vincent provides some helpful information for anyone traveling.)
It’s no secret that many senior citizens like to use this time in their life to travel and see new places. Technology is helping make it easier for them, as seniors are becoming more comfortable using electronics than ever before. Here are five easy-to-use products to help seniors enhance their travel experience.
Seniors will want to be sure to capture special memories from their trip with the help of a camera. The Sony Cyber-Shot is one of the best camera options for simplicity of use. No need for menu knowledge, the camera’s Easy Shooting mode takes great photos without a lot of fuss. It goes into auto-settings when first powered on, allowing users to simply focus on their subject. The ultra-light camera features 16 MP and a 5X optical zoom, along with SteadyShot image stabilization for unsteady hands. The 2.7-inch LCD screen makes it easy to check and see if they were able to get the ideal shot.
ActiveCare Personal Assistant Link
The Personal Assistant Link or PAL can help seniors get in touch with a care specialist from anywhere in the United States in case they run into a medical issue. The one-touch system looks like a small cell phone with large buttons. With the push of a button seniors are connected to ActiveCare’s center with specialist who can help with everything from calling an ambulance to connecting them with their physician or family members. The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. GPS is integral to the PAL system, allowing users’ locations to be tracked at all times. In addition, PAL is also able to detect if an individual has fallen. There is no need to press a button; the person will be immediately connected with a care specialist if a fall occurs.
Although there are multiple options in laptop computers that a senior can take on the road, an iPad might be the best alternative out there. The iPad is easy to carry and store, and using it is as easy as swiping your finger across the screen. There is no need for a mouse. Among the most convenient features is the ability to zoom in on text, making it larger and easy to read. Apple’s iBook or Amazon’s Kindle apps offer books on almost any topic imaginable for seniors who love to read. They may even download travel guides to help them plan their trip.
Innergie Duo USB Travel Charging Kit
Innergie’s Duo USB Travel Charging Kit cuts down on having a bunch of confusing cables for charging electrical devices. Connectors are consolidated onto a single cord. The cable has multiple tips to make it compatible with cameras, smart phones, GPS units, eReaders, and more. The kit also includes wall and auto adapters.
For seniors taking a road trip, a GPS could be one of the greatest accessories they will find. Garmin has a number of options with large touch screens that are intuitive to use. The devices are easy to set up and come preloaded with maps and directions to restaurants, hotels, shopping, and other points of interest. Garmin’s voice guide is clear and loud. In addition, directions are shown on the screen in a large, easy-to-read typeface.
What are some other great electronic devices that could be helpful to seniors who love to travel? Share your suggestions below.
An Aging In Place Couple Want to Remodel Their Bathroom
31 Mar 2012 1 Comment
in Aging in Place, Health and Welfare, Senior Safety Tags: accessibility, adaptation, aging in place, bedroom safety, toilet, watercloset
Tilly and Harold, a couple of mature seniors living in their fifty year old home are looking to make their bathroom comfortable and safer. They contacted a CAPS (Certified Aging in Place Specialist) through the NAHB website to help them navigate this process. Since Tilly and Harold are not the sort to follow blindly, they consulted many different sources like the NCSU CENTER FOR UNIVERSAL DESIGN Residential Rehabilitation, Remodeling and Universal Design report and the AARP for information. They started a list of wants and needs to discuss with their CAPS.
In their research, they discovered there are several things they should concentrate on for their bathroom remodel. First and foremost, they want to make sure they are preparing for their long term comfort and safety. Since they both have arthritis and find it harder to keep up, they want low maintenance finishes. They also know that making these changes will help increase their home value so they want to keep it reasonable but do it right too.
One of the main things on their list, of course, is to get some grab bars near the toilet and at the bath or shower. Luckily, their original builder installed blocking in the walls so they can be installed easily. They also know noted they will need to have a 36” wide door with lever handles and no threshold. Thinking about the layout, they know that a clear 5 foot turn space at the toilet and at the bath or shower will be necessary for maneuvering too.
More items on the list include:
A vanity that will have multiple heights so Tilly can sit down in front and still be able to reach the sink. Harold is a little concerned about future resale and thinks maybe those new fangled cabinets that could be put back under the vanity if need be would be their best choice. - They want to install great storage that is easily accessed like pull-outs so Harold won’t have to reach high to put the towels away anymore. Tilly hasn’t been able to reach up to the upper shelves in years.
- Tilly is adamant that they will need a full-length mirror installed in addition to locating the vanity mirror low enough so if she is seated she can still see the mirror.
- The low maintenance laminate flooring is Harold’s vote since it is really nice looking but isn’t going to cost an arm and a leg. Tilly agrees and adds the low maintenance angle.
- a They make a note that it will need to be low slip too.
Harold pointed to a picture of a toilet and said, “Tilly, let’s make sure we get one of those higher toilets like the ones in the handicapped stalls. They are so much easier to get up from these days. I go to sit down on ours and I feel like I am falling!” Tilly nodded and jotted it down.
“I think they call those Comfort Height or ADA or something like that. It says here on this Kohler site that they are in the 17-18+ inch high. Nice. The elongated bowl would be our best choice,” said Tilly.
Harold held the list and Tilly said, “Didn’t Elsie and John mention about the electrical outlets at 18” off the floor so we could reach them and those rocker light switches? We will want those too. Oh and I would love adjustable lighting that I can change depending on what I need it for, like trimming your eyebrows my dear!”
Harold smiled. “Didn’t John mention something like the light controls being easy to reach if they were between 36” and 42” above the floor?”
Tilly nodded, “Do you think we should consider one of those tankless water heaters? I read where they are good for low maintenance and energy efficiency too.”
“Oh, yes, I like that idea. So, let’s look over this list before that CAPS gal gets here. Seems like there are lots of choices, glad we are going to get some help.”
Stay tuned for more information as Tilly and Harold work to make their home safer and more comfortable…
Shoulder Surgery and Aging in Place
19 Feb 2012 Leave a Comment
in Aging in Place, Health and wellness, Senior Safety Tags: a. churba, accessibility, adaptations, aging in place, comfort, safety, seniors
Norm, a friend of Johns, is a 60 something senior who recently had shoulder surgery. He lives alone and was a little worried about maneuvering around the house after his surgery. To prepare his home he had several things done beforehand, here is a partial listing:
- He had all of his door knobs changed to lever style handles to make it easier for him to manage.
- Additionally, he went about placing things more at a waist-level surface so he would not have to be lifting or lowering items.
- For instance, in the kitchen, he lowered all of the cabinet shelves so he could reach them easier.
- He then placed the most used items on the shelves that were closest to his waist-level.
- One very important thing he did was place the microwave on his counter so he wouldn’t have to lift anything hot down.
- Another thing he did was put items that he needed daily in baskets or containers laying out in his bedroom, the bathroom and the kitchen where he could reach them easily.
- He had a hand held shower installed in his shower that he could manipulate easier too. It was one of the ones that attached with a hose. It worked well for making it easier to do things one handed and actually get clean.
- He found lots of things like grippers that could help when he couldn’t reach at a company called www.adaptmy.com.
- Another thing he found helped was to cut the elastic in his socks so it was easier to get them on.
Do you have any suggestions to make it easier for Norm? Let me know and I will post your suggestions!
Some Inexpensive Ideas for an Aging in Place Home
21 Jan 2012 4 Comments
in Aging in Place, Health and Welfare, Interior Design, Senior Safety Tags: a. churba, Aging, aging in place, fall prevention, floor surfaces, seniors
Rich and Anne are looking for some inexpensive ideas to make their home safer for themselves. Both are seniors with minor problems due to aging but they want to take some precautions early so that, should something happen, they are prepared. They read on the CDC website some startling statistics like the fact that one third of adults over age 65 suffer a fall each year and thirty percent of them suffer injuries such as hip fractures or head traumas. Most startling was the statistic stating that seniors who are 75 years & older who fall are four to five times more likely to be admitted to a long-term care facility for a year or longer. Additionally, two-thirds of all falls occur in or around the home. That was enough for Rich and Anne to start preparing their home for their safe aging in place. Following are some ideas for some adaptations to help prevent falls in their home:
• Install flooring that is slip resistant both when the floor is dry AND wet, if the funds are not available to replace flooring, consider adding a walk-off carpet designed for wet areas.
lever door handles are easier to open
• Make sure floor surfaces are smooth but do not create a glare and that are slip-resistant. Anne and Rich should make sure they do not place any throw rugs or area rugs that don’t have a good slip-resistance backing.
• Anne and Rich should install faucets that have fins for handles throughout the home. It makes it easier to turn and off even with arthritis. They should also make sure the temperature of the hot water tank is not set too high so that they don’t get burned or scalded.
• Have electrical outlets upgraded and make sure they are GFCI rated for safety. Try to prevent using extension cords to plug assorted appliances into the outlets. (Anne loves her electrical appliances and has many items she likes to plug in). Have an electrician install more electrical outlets and make sure the breaker is rated high enough to carry the needed requirements.
• Increase wattage of light bulbs for better clarity but do not cause a glare. Anne and Rich can reduce glare by using frosted bulbs, indirect lighting, shades or globes on light fixtures.
• Another thing Anne and Rich should do is make sure the lighting has more than one light bulb so that if one burns out, there is still some light.
• Anne and Rich will want to install a night light in the bathroom, hallways and possibly the kitchen to help prevent night falls. A night light that has a sensor that will turn off when the light is turned on is a good choice too. Anne and Rich are concerned with their power usage and try to keep lights off as much as possible so the night light is a good compromise.
• Make sure towels and dishcloths are located at a comfortable height easily without assistance or lots of reaching. Rich and Anne are of average height but have some slight arthritis so placing these items in an easy to reach location is a smart move. Consider a location near a sink and far from the stove top in the kitchen. Fires can easily start if a towel gets near a burner.
• Doors should be wide enough for a walker to get through without having to turn it sideways. This means the doors should have at least a 32” clear opening. Installing door handles that are lever style are much easier to use than a round door knob.
• The threshold between rooms should be less than ¼” difference in height from the floor surfaces. This will help prevent possible trip hazards.
Anne and Rich are on their way to a safer home for themselves. They are encouraged to contact a CAPS for a more detailed evaluation of their home but any move they make to improve their safety and comfort is a step in the right direction.
An Aging In Place Discussion About the book: Small Space Organizing
15 Jan 2012 1 Comment
in Aging in Place, Interior Design and Decorating Tags: aging in place, decorating, Kathryn Bechen, small space organizing
Elsie and Beth are gabbing to each other on the phone since they live in two different states. Both are Aging in Place and looking for ways to make life easier as they do so.
“I am reading a great book about Small Space Organizing by Kathryn Bechen,” said Beth to Elsie. It has some excellent information. “I am sending you a copy, I think you could really use this information.”
“Oh, Okay, I could use some organizing.”
“I think you will really like this book. I found some excellent ideas that I have already started to use.”
“Like what?” asked Elsie. “I am not spending anymore money on really expensive tools and contraptions. We just don’t have the money for that. Besides that, until we find a place, I am not adding more stuff to this house.”
“That is the great thing about this book Elsie. It isn’t about adding stuff, it is about scaling back and making things multi-functional. It is about changing the way you look at things and making them work. For example, Kathryn, that’s the author, writes about using attractive kitchen containers in the bathroom to store things like cotton swabs and other little things like that so it is attractive and you can see what is in them. John says you have things laying all over the counters so you can remember you have them: isn’t that a great way to organize it?”
“That does sound like something I could use. I just don’t like having to root through a dark cabinet trying to find things.”
“See? She even had an idea to use a baker’s rack in the bathroom for towels. That way they are out in the open. I moved a narrow, wire roll-out cart into the bathroom to store some towels on and it is working very well,” said Beth.
“Well, that’s an idea. I have one in the spare bedroom that isn’t doing anything.”
“That is another thing she writes about Elsie; getting rid of stuff. You have a lot of stuff don’t you?”
“Yes, John and I both tend to hold on to things. He is horrible about keeping stuff we don’t use. He has all of these plastic containers from food that he is re-using for left-overs instead of using the dishes in the cupboard.”
“Kathryn writes about getting all white dishes so they are uniform, even if you have mixed patterns,” Beth chimed in.
“Well that is an idea. I already have all white towels so it’s easier to launder them all without having to sort.”
“I think you will get some great information from this book Elsie. I know you struggle with organizing,” said Beth. “Give some of the ideas in there a try.”
“Okay, I will look forward to receiving it. When are you sending it?”
“I have it on the entry table, ready to go when I go out to my mailbox,” said Beth.
“Alright, I need to get going, I need to get some things done around here,” mentioned Elsie.
Me too; it is good to talk with you. Give John my best.”
“Okay, I will. Love you Beth. Take care,” said Elsie.
“You too,” said Beth.
The book mentioned in this article, “Small Space Organizing” is written by Kathryn Bechen. You can find information about this book and other great organizing tips at her website: http://kathrynbechenink.blogspot.com/.
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