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The post Alzheimer’s makes it hard for family to remember to live, too appeared first on Simple Steps Mobility. from http://simplestepsmobility.com/conditions/alzheimers-makes-it-hard-for-family-to-remember-to-live-too/ If you’ve never heard of Rebuilding Together, you may be in for a treat. This organization has been able to help countless individuals and families improve the safety of their homes by providing remodeling services and installing safety equipment like wheelchair ramps, grab bars, and smoke/CO2 detectors.
‘Rebuilding Together’ initiative wins statewide honor | insidenova.com
Rebuilding Together offering home repairs, accessibility modifications The post Rebuilding Together Can Help Caregivers Improve Home Safety appeared first on Simple Steps Mobility. from http://simplestepsmobility.com/news/rebuilding-together-can-help-caregivers-improve-home-safety/ Family caregivers are having to adjust many aspects of their lives around caring for a loved one. From work hours, personal finances, and even living situations, the impact can be huge and stressful. But, a common unseen impact is not on the caree, but the caregiver’s health. Long hours, added stressors, and physical demands all add up and can take a toll ( this is one of the reasons why this blog exists). Follow Phillip’s story as well as a couple of others in this well written article.
You can share your own story if you would like by using our contact page. The post Families Can Face Delicate Balance Caring for Aging Parents appeared first on Simple Steps Mobility. from http://simplestepsmobility.com/news/families-can-face-delicate-balance-caring-for-aging-parents/ The wheelchair to commode transfer can be tricky and following these simple steps can make it a lot easier, especially if the caregiver has to do the majority of the work. In this article, we’ll look at how the person needs to be best positioned so that the transfer will be as smooth and easy as possible with the least amount of work on the part of the patient as well as the caregiver that’s helping. This following technique helps with most anyone who may have the need to use a beside commode or what is commonly referred to as a 3-in-1 commode. This includes helping a person (who may be paralyzed on one side) to a commode, an elderly person, or someone who may be very weak. Note: you cannot use a slide board (transfer board) on a 3-in-1 commode as the arms will prevent sliding over. Pivot Transfer From Wheelchair To CommodeFollow along with the following steps:
The thing to remember about this particular technique is that the back is turned toward the direction that a person is moving and their gaze is turned 180 degrees opposite of the sitting destination. This will align their body correctly and the move can be made swiftly. There are only a few simple steps involved with this transfer. The more it is practiced, the easier it becomes. I frequently tell caregivers to practice it themselves in order to memorize the sequence of steps. This helps with communicating it more confidently when assisting someone who may be in pain or nervous about falling. Please leave a comment and let me know if you have found this helpful or if you have a different method for getting someone onto a commode from a wheelchair. from http://simplestepsmobility.com/mobility/transfers/how-to-transfer-from-wheelchair-to-commode/ We keep hearing about it… But, are we taking steps to take advantage of it? What I am talking about is simple daily activity. And this activity is more than just getting up and heading to the bathroom or to the refrigerator as is common with many seniors. It’s more important for seniors to move their bodies and limbs in a functional and purposeful way in order to get the true benefit of being active. Physical activity is more than just “busy work”. It has a purpose. Having a purpose integrates the mental/emotional with the physical. Purposeful physical activity could be something as simple as walking a dog, taking out the garbage or watering the flowers/grass. There is a sense of accomplishment with purposeful activity and this also contributes to a person’s well being. This sense of accomplishment brings meaning, usefulness and to a small degree, a reason for being. It can do a lot for caregivers as well as those that they care for if a regular and daily round of productive activities were planned into their days. It has the potential of giving them a better quality of life throughout their lifetime and also reduce the burden on caregivers. Take a look at this study done in Britain.
The post Did You Know: Even Light Amounts Of Exercise Are Beneficial appeared first on Simple Steps Mobility. from http://simplestepsmobility.com/lifestyle/did-you-know-even-light-amounts-of-exercise-are-beneficial/
The post In Pursuit of Healthy Old Age, The Anti-aging Field ‘Explodes’ appeared first on Simple Steps Mobility. from http://simplestepsmobility.com/news/in-pursuit-of-healthy-old-age-the-anti-aging-field-explodes/ This blog post will explore how to use a cane with a bad knee and avoid developing bad habits. Whether your knee, foot, or hip is bothering you, using a cane is actually very simple. If you’ve looked at any of my other blog posts on the subject, this one is probably going to be very similar to those. Use The Cane In The Opposite Hand As Your Bad KneeBasically the bottom line is this is that when you’re using a cane whether it’s a standard, or, some call it a straight cane, or if its a quad cane or something like that, you’ll want to use it in the opposite hand of your bad knee/leg. The reason for that is this is that when we’re typically walking, your pelvic girdle rotates to the left, your shoulder girdle rotates to the right. This is seen when you take a step with one leg, the opposite hand goes forward at the same time. Then, when the other leg steps forward, it’s opposite hand goes forward as well. This alternating motion is part of what we call a “normal gait cycle”. This gait pattern is essential for balance and efficient movement. Maintain Your Normal Gait CycleWhen you are using a cane for a sore leg or what have you, its important that you maintain that normal gait cycle. When you have a bad knee knee what you want is for the cane to go out at the same time that you take a step with the bad leg. this will give your sore leg support while at the same time maintaining the normal gait cycle. For example, if your left knee is the bad knee and unstable when you stand on it. If you’re walking and when that foot hits the ground you run the risk of the knee buckling and you falling to the ground. So to prevent this from happening, its better for you that the cane is supporting you when your left leg is planted on the ground so to take some of the stress of the bad knee. But, at the same time, keep your arms and legs swinging in a normal fashion. Avoid Using The Cane On The Same Side As Your Bad KneeThere are some people who will insist on using a cane on the same side that they have their bad knee. While this can be done and it works for some people, it also doesn’t look or allow you to use the rest of your body in a natural motion. The main reason that people use a cane on the same side as their bad knee is generally due to 1 of 2 reasons. 1) They just have a poor sense of how their body actually moves and are assuming that the cane has to be on the sore side, or, 2) they need a lot more support than the cane is really supposed to give and probably should move onto a walker. Both of these are misconceptions. The following video will go over in more detail how you can use a cane if you have a bad knee. You can also follow along with the audio portion if you want, here: The post How To Use A Cane With A Bad Knee appeared first on Simple Steps Mobility. from http://simplestepsmobility.com/mobility/walking/how-to-use-a-cane-with-a-bad-knee/
thumbnail courtesy of nytimes.com The post On the Whole30 Diet, Vowing to Eat ‘Smarter’ Carbs for More Than 30 Days appeared first on Simple Steps Mobility. from http://simplestepsmobility.com/lifestyle/on-the-whole30-diet-vowing-to-eat-smarter-carbs-for-more-than-30-days/ I watched this short video about this one woman’s experience and realized again how important each and every one of our individual’s stories are. Modern society has gotten so fast we forget what “community” actually is. Often times we are so caught up in the struggles and stresses of our own everyday lives that we forget that we need others and that they need us. Keep in mind that by sharing your own personal experience you may be able to help someone else who is just as stressed out as you or possibly more. Your sharing your stresses and concerns help others see they are not alone and give us an opportunity to build each other up.
Connecting the Dots for Caregivers – Meet Pat
The post Connecting the Dots for Caregivers – Meet Pat appeared first on Simple Steps Mobility. from http://simplestepsmobility.com/lifestyle/connecting-dots-caregivers-meet-pat/ |
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