Caregivers Primer

Accessories and Aids for People with Physical Limitations

There are many items on the market that can help someone with limitations, from circular car seat pads to help you turn to get out, to jar openers.  Whether you have painful arthritis, have had a stroke, or are in a wheelchair, someone has come up with the right item to make your life easier. 

If you have a physical therapist or home health agency, they are probably your best source of information for the newest items that can help you do what you need to do.  If you are on your own, you can search online for your problem, for the name of the item, or just general terms, such as "handicapped accessories." 

One caution:  Don't stop looking with the first item you find.  Prices vary greatly, as does quality.  More important, some merchants use terms like Handicapped, Diabetic, Arthritis, or even Babies or Children, to add big bucks to cost of an item.  For example, you can find generic "baby powder" in both the baby aisle and the beauty aisle, but 90% of the time, the one in the baby aisle costs more. 

If you find an item you like, be sure to shop around for price, but also once you know exactly what the item is called, look it up separately to see if it is offered for less.

I found some items that are interesting.  Whether I placed them in the Sounds-Good Category or the Not-So-Hot list is merely my personal opinion.  You will have to make the right decision for what works for you.

 

The Sounds-Good Category....

Light Switch extender.  http://www.dynamic-living.com/product/light-switch-extender 
This clear extender is good for someone in a wheelchair or could even be used by a service dog.

No Rinse Shampoo Cap http://www.dynamic-living.com/product/no-rinse-shampoo-cap#name_tabsHref
I intend to try this one for my mother.  You put on the "shower cap" (you can even warm it in the microwave) then massage to shampoo and condition.  Great for someone in a wheelchair, with poor balance, or who just can't physically get to a sink. 

Bottom Buddy  http://www.dynamic-living.com/product/bottom-buddy-toilet-tissue-holder
I'll let you read this description for yourself.  It sounds a little strange at first, but I can see for some injuries and handicapped, it could provide a good measure of independence in the bathroom.

Umbrella with one-hand opening    http://www.seniorssuperstores.com/cart/html/Products/TRAVEL-PRODUCTS/Senior-Friendly-Umb-177.html
Surprisingly, this auto-open, auto-close umbrella advertised for seniors and the handicapped is actually more affordable than other similar umbrellas I found online. 

The Not-So-Hot Category...........

Pop-top Can Opener http://www.dynamic-living.com/product/can-pop-for-pull-tab-lids
There are simpler ones, for less money than this $4.50 plus shipping (check the dollar stores in your area or even some grocery stores).  But according to the therapist helping me after hand and arm surgery, the easiest, cheapest way to open a pop-top can is with the bowl end of a spoon.

Headlight for a walker http://www.dencities.com/denmall/walker-access1.html
I'm not sure about this one.  If you live alone and use a walker, you can turn on the lights without disturbing anyone, and if you have someone in the house with you, you probably wouldn't need to wander around in the dark by yourself.

Car Seat Belt Adjuster http://www.dynamic-living.com/product/seat-belt-adjuster/
Good idea but expensive with shipping.  You can get several different models at most auto supply shops, like Auto Zone.

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Have fun looking for items that can help you in daily life.  Doing general searches online can turn up helpful items you didn't even know existed that could solve a problem you thought impossible. 

Take care of yourself and those you love,

Kathy

Temporary Ramp for a Manual Wheelchair

In January, my 86-year-old mother fell and injured her right leg.  To get back and forth to the doctor, x-rays, MRIs and other scans, we had to get her up and down 3 steps from our manufactured home in Florida. 

For the first few trips, we had a real difficult time getting her out to the car.  She had to - slowly and painfully - slip from the rented wheelchair, down onto a foot stool next to the door.  From there she lowered herself down to the doorsill.  Then down to the first step.  I would then take the wheelchair around through the back door, locking the house on the way out, get her up from the step into the wheelchair and then out to the car.  It would take 20-25 minutes for the transfer from the house to the car because of her pain.  

It took the doctor 10 days to determine she had a hairline fracture and would have to be in a wheelchair for 6 weeks.  Three weeks into the recovery, after putting all her weight on the left leg to get in and out of the wheelchair, she had a compression fracture in the left leg which added an additional 3 weeks to her recovery time.

Two weeks into this horrible episode, my son came down from Georgia and built us a temporary ramp.  It consists of two troughs that attach to the door sill.  Eventually, we'll be moving and put in a permanent ramp at our new location, but this arrangement got us through the few appointments we had while she was unable to walk.

  
Picture 1 

I really like this ramp because I can push the wheelchair up and bring it down (backwards, of course) while I'm standing on flat ground.  I don't have to get on a step which could be difficult or even risky.  Since mom only weighs 100 lbs, it works well for me on the few occasions when I have to use it.

CAUTION:  This was just a temporary, limited use method for getting our wheelchair in and out of the house.  It is not meant for permanent use, power chairs, or walking.  I wouldn't even suggest it for anyone over 150 lbs or so.  If you need a permanent ramp, see the heading Ramp Building Manual below.  You will need to know the regulations for your state, get permits, etc.

Because of the size of our screen room and the space from the end of the ramp to our carport just outside, I was limited to an 8' 2x8 board with a 2x4 on each side to prevent the wheelchair from going off track.  My son first cut 45-degree angles, downward at each end to make it easier to get the wheelchair up onto the troughs.  He drilled keyhole openings in existing screw holes in a bracket that he attached to the top of the trough.  The screws are permanently in the doorsill.   I just open the door, lift the bracket into place over the screws and go.  The screws and the weight of the three heavy boards keep it tightly in place.  See Picture 2.

   
Picture 2.  Trough top with connections. 

RAMP BUILDING MANUAL

There is a lot of information on wheelchair ramps on the Internet but this one I found particularly helpful.  It is from a project in Minnesota.  http://www.wheelchairramp.org/  Ramps were built by volunteers for people who needed help but what I found most interesting is that the idea was for non-permanent installations.  The idea that the ramps could be removed and moved to a new location when the handicapped person moved, or stored for use by others in the future was intriguing.

The manual can be viewed online page by page or downloaded.  It covers determining landscape grades, ramp slopes, landings, turning corners, length, material lists and construction instructions.  There is also a section on finding out about requirements and permits where you live.  There are photos and drawings to help you.  It gives the best overview I've found.

This will be my starting point when we get settled in a new house.  I like the idea of knowing enough about a project like this that we can make an informed decision when we hire someone to make a ramp for us.  The knowledge could potentially save us a lot of money.

Take Care,

Kathy