It’s awkward to sleep, sit, stand or move, no position is truly comfortable.

Slight movement of the affected side can send spiking pain.  Sneezing is feared.

Fortunately time does heal this injury and physical therapy rebuilds ability and confidence to return to normal activity.  During that healing time there are a few products that should be considered to ensure safety and comfort.  The retailer CareGiversCloset is now offering a 15% discount on the products that you’ll need for safe hip injury recovery but act fast, the sale ends in Mid April.

An elevated toilet seat….it has to be stable and should be easy to clean and remove by others sharing the bath room.  I used a simpler 4″ raised seat from Maddak that has a Slip in Bracket.  The height was perfect and the combination of the bracket and an inner lip on the seat made this absolutely solid on the toilet yet allowed it to be lifted off by a child.  It was very easy to clean as well, i just placed it in the tub/shower and rinsed frequently.  There is also a dedicated toilet seat just for hip replacement patients.

A leg lift was critical to help reposition my foot and leg while sitting and standing and dressing.  It was critical for independently getting into and out of the car.

Because bending at the waist or hip or even leg is so uncomfortable, a sock aid is a great help when getting dressed.  It holds a sock wide open to accept the foot and then pulls the sock up and over the foot without moving the leg or hip.

Simple to use products such as these minimize harm to the hip and promote independence while recovering.

My injury happened on a beautiful day while ice skating on a frozen pond, no wind, sun shining and warming temperatures.  By 1130 am I was on the way to the hospital in an ambulance with a fractured femur from a seemingly simple fall.  I landed on my side but this time, (it’s happened hundreds of times), the impact angle must have been just right with appropriate force.  Fortunately a surgeon was available, the rod and screw were available and by the following morning, less than 24 hours after the accident, I was working with a physical therapist to learn how to use crutches and navigate stairs.  My wife and I also quickly became consumers anxious to find products to help with my recovery.

The  study reveals that both blood sugar level and body fat can be reduced with a simple program of about 100 minutes of higher-intensity aerobics a week and only one to two days of resistance training for 15 to 20 minutes a day.  These two improvements are essential steps for many type 2 diabetics.

The study was led by Dr. Timothy S. Church, director of preventive medicine research at Louisiana State University’s Pennington Biomedical Research Center.   Interestingly, the combination of these exercise types is needed to generate an lowering of blood sugar.  Doing only aerobic exercise or weight training does not have the same effect; in fact, the study showed almost no change compared to no exercise.  The simple reason why combination program works;  it develops skeletal muscle which is the biggest user of sugar in the blood.  There’s also an added benefit, heart disease risk is lowered as well.

Good to learn that just a tiny bit of time each week (as little as about 2.5 hours total) doing simple weight training and a bit of vigorous exercise may  naturally modulate diabetes type 2 for many people.  If you already do one of these types of exercise, mix in some of the other for the maximum benefit.  If you haven’t regularly done either type, check with your physician before starting easy and working up to a regular regimen that suits your schedule.

VersaBath Bath Seat, Safer Transfers

Bathrooms are the most likely area in any home where an accident will occur.  Fortunately, the first and easiest ways to prevent accidents don’t cost anything and require only minimal effort.

Clear out all but absolute essentials from the counter tops and floors.

Designate a “home” for all essentials and keep them there.

These starting steps eliminate tripping hazards, clear working surfaces of distractions and eliminate hunting and reaching for truly essential items.

Getting safely into and out of an existing shower tub, because of the high side and narrow space, can be challenging but there are now lots of products designed specifically to help.  Here is an example, available from CareGiversCloset, you’ll find others as well.  And if you  order before October 29 you can save 10% by entering the coupon code BATH10 during the check out process.

An internet search of recent articles about Alzheimer’s disease and treatments uncovered this site, Science Daily (2009-06-23) and a news story about a student in the UK who is working on an idea to help his grandfather and others challenge their minds while sharing time with others ….. the product is a puzzle with larger pieces and images that may evoke memories.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/Student’s Design Helps Piece Together Parts Of The Alzheimer’s Puzzle

It was inspiring to see that a grandson, while identifying an activity that the family could all do with their grandfather, expanded his thinking to develop a new product that could benefit others.  The grandson took the time to research and test a variety of options and then focused on viable solutions that other patients and caregivers could use.

While these new specialty puzzles may not yet be available, this creative thinking could be a prompt to others to try something as simple as this to help someone maintain cognitive abilities and better quality of life.  If you have ideas for activities that you have found to be enjoyable and beneficial, please don’t be shy, add a comment so others will be helped.

Getting into and out of bed should not cause concerns about falling by yourself or anyone in your care. For most people, a bruise or sore spot may result from a fall and extra care will be taken the next time to prevent another fall and injury. However for some people, falling when getting into or out of bed can be a life changing event. Depending on the severity of any injury, hospitalization may be required and recovery can take months.

For many people, the risk of falling can be reduced by changing the height of the bed. A bed that is too high or too low can affect how easy it is to stand up from a sitting position. You’ll want to consult with an occupational therapist or visiting nurse to have them help determine the optimal bed height so that the motion of rising from a sitting to a standing position is as safe as possible. (You may want to also check the height of other items around your home including a favorite chair or shower bench.)

To help steady you as you get into and out of the bed, there’s a wonderful product available that can really help. It can also act as a barrier to prevent you from accidentally rolling out of bed. The Single AbleRise (TM) Bed Assist provides one large oval handle/handhold (20″ wide) right at the side of the bed. This large, non metal handhold extends above the mattress to provide multiple grip positions and it won’t feel cold! This bed assist slides between the mattress and box spring and can be positioned at any point along the bed. A well thought out feature is the large built in storage pocket that’s ideal for holding books, newspapers (and the remote control that frequently finds it’s own hiding place). Also available is a Double AbleRise which puts an identical hand/hold on both sides of the bed, ideal for beds that are accessed from either side.

Unfortunately the AbleRise doesn’t work on mechanical beds (beds that can be adjusted to raise the head or feet).

I hope this has been helpful.

For those interested to view the AbleRise, try this link Ablerise Bed Assist Handle from CareGiversCloset

Daily gentle cleaning and examination of the feet are a key component to maintaining proper foot health and preventing serious health issues. Foot cleaning should include complete drying and application of skin cream to prevent dry and cracked skin, a common initial cause of foot issues. Toenail care is also important to prevent ingrown or cracked nails. Products to help with these steps of this this vital care regimen can be viewed at Grooming Aids in CareGiversCloset

If you or a loved one has diabetes or is at risk for it, please take the time to learn as much as you can about this condition that can, with sometimes only slight lifestyle changes, be managed.

Are grandchildren visiting or do you provide daycare or babysitting services in your home? Those small children in your home may need to share a common bathroom and you most likely have a separate child toilet seat that is placed on the toilet each time a child uses the bathroom.  You may use a potty chair type of commode.   Responding quickly to a child’s “emergency” can sometimes be a frustrating occurrence as the seat is quickly (hopefully) put into place and the child helped on to it. After use, that seat or commode has to be cleaned and stored somewhere in the bathroom so it does not become a tripping hazard.
For those bathrooms with a standard size toilet, not a model with an elongated bowl , there’s a clever product that combines a child size toilet seat into a standard white seat with lid. This seat, lid and child size seat completely replaces the existing seat and lid. The child specific seat hinges up into the lid and out of the way of the regular seat when not in use. Children should be able to quickly learn how to use their own special seat and you can be assured that the smaller opening will help keep them safe. An added sanitary benefit is that children are eliminating into the actual toilet and not a separate container requiring transfer and separate cleaning. To see additional information about the Family Toilet Seat, try this link Child and Family 2 in 1 Toilet Training and Safety Seat

There are many reachers available but the Pediatric or Small Hand Reacher from Maddak may be the only one that is completely focused on helping this select group of people. The pistol grip handle with large trigger are both reduced in size to fit comfortably in a smaller hand or hand with limited opening and closing range. The total length is only 15″ , ideal for grasping nearby things without creating a long lever arm that may be unsafe for someone with limited arm strength. The shorter length is easier to carry, store in a basket/bag/pouch or place on the lap without creating a protruding hazard. If you would like more information, try this link Small Size Reacher from CareGiversCloset it should take you to a specially priced offer on this product. While this reacher was originally designed for pediatric use, it is now just as popular with anyone who needs a smaller version reacher for their unique circumstance.

High contrast tableware allows easy viewing of light color food and drink

A diagnosis of Alzheimer’s brings on many concerns and problems for the patient and caregiver.  Diagnosing Alzheimer’s early allows decisions to be made early regarding care, finances and legal issues.  The Alzheimer’s Association has created a list of 10 signs that could be warning signs of Alzheimer’s.  For a complete overview of each sign, follow this link to the article, http://www.alz.org/alzheimers_disease_10_signs_of_alzheimers.asp

Memory changes that disrupt life

Challenges in planning or solving problems

Difficulty completing familiar tasks at home, at work or at leisure

Confusion with time or place

Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships

New problems with words in speaking or writing

Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps

Decreased or poor judgment

Withdrawal from work or social activities

Changes in mood and personality

Over time, Alzheimer’s patients may develop a myriad of problems that can cascade into more serious issues.

Weight loss from low caloric intake can lead to nutrition deficiency and related health concerns.  A Boston University study reveals that declining food and liquid intake can be the result of a decreased ability to see light colored foods on tableware that is typically white or a similar lighter color.

Researchers found that a dark red or blue background caused an appreciable increase in both food and liquid intake.  Maddak, a company that manufactures a wide variety of Aids for Daily Living has developed Redware(TM)  Tableware that includes a bright red Non-Skid Scooper Dish and Inner-lip(TM) Plate.  Food such as rice or potato can now be seen as they rest on a high contrast surface.  This tableware also includes a molded in shape that helps push food onto a utensil and keeps food on dish, helping those with reduced muscle control or coordination.  To view additional information about this family of products, visit Alzheimer’s Dining Aids. Redware High Contrast Tableware

I’ve also discovered a very interesting article about the effects of lighting and table arrangement on improving calorie intake in Alzheimer’s patients.   The full article can be seen at this link Correct Lighting and the Effect on Alzheimer’s Patient Dining

We hope this information has been helpful.

My colleague is an active cyclist with extensive experience maintaining energy and hydration levels.  A multi-day ride, even with the large amounts of water and energy drinks he continually drank, (he’s drinking at very regular intervals, way before he feels thirst because he knows about the perils of under hydration)  may have pushed his kidney’s temporarily just over the limit to form a stone and cause it to flush out.

My father is always walking around with a glass of water, but in the summer, it’s frequently ice tea.  Recent studies reveal that ice tea contains oxalates which combine with calcium to form calcium type kidney stones.  Other sources of oxalates are chocolate, beets, rhubarb and spinach.

Hydration is critical for prevention.  The best hydration fluid is the easiest to obtain, fresh water.  The recommended amount is 8 – 10 glasses per day.  If you aren’t already drinking that much, slowly work up to that volume over a week.  Add lemon slices to flavor and gain the benefit of citrates which have been shown to inhibit development of kidney stones.  Real lemonade, not the artificially flavored type may have a similar benefit.  Also advisable, cut back on salty foods and protein sources such as meat.  Lots of great information is available on the internet about diet and lifestyle changes that can help.  This website, WEB MD Kidney Stone Information will give you more insight and links to even more information.  You may want to also try on your own to find information; try the search phrase “preventing kidney stones”

Collect kidney stones for analysis and treatment

If you do develop a kidney stone that is trying to pass, your physician will probably ask you to filter your urine to collect the stone in addition to collecting urine.  This is done so the stone and urine can be analyzed to determine its composition.  A simple and easy to use Kidney Stone Filter and Funnel is available to help.  This device can strain very small stones and directs urine into a collecting bottle.  If needed, filter paper can be placed in the strainer to further refine collecting.

If you have had a kidney stone or are prone to developing them, make some simple changes to help ward off the debilitating pain from passing a stone.