Finding a "House Call" in the Twin
Cities
by Lisa Schmidtke
Aids for daily living, adaptive
equipment, assistive medical devices…three terms used to describe
things that help you put your socks on & pick up stuff that you
drop. But it goes far beyond that. Products such as adaptive utensils,
nosey cups and glossectomy spoons help prevent dehydration and malnutrition.
Long-handled bathing sponges and self-wiping aids ward off infections
due to improper grooming. Gait belts and transfer boards help caregivers
transfer their patients without straining their backs. Finding the
right solution to a daily living issue just may help a person stay
in their home a little longer.
The first room in the
home to become “adaptive” is often
the bathroom. Grab bars, raised toilet seats, shower chairs and transfer
boards cover the key areas where a person could fall or get hurt.
Items that help in the kitchen include Dycem to keep bowls and plates
from slipping, jar openers and knob turners. Good Grips® created
a complete set of eating utensils with their built up, comfortable
grips. In the bedroom, bed rails and rope ladders prevent falls.
Necessities can be kept close by attaching a bedrail organizer, bedside
beverage holder or a bookstand. These handy items are a good start
to maintaining independence, but sometimes they aren’t enough.
The Twin Cities is lucky to have construction companies that specifically
focus on adaptive remodeling. Widening doorways, lowering countertops
and installing durable flooring and roll-in showers are big jobs
that companies such as Equal Access Homes can handle. LCSI installs
lift and transfer equipment in homes, care facilities and hospitals.
Spending time and money on making a home accessible can prevent injuries
and protect your home investment.
Many aids for daily living were created by people who were looking
for a creative solution. The residents and staff of Inglis House,
a long-term care facility in Pennsylvania, were so concerned with
people with physical disabilities not getting enough water that they
developed a revolutionary water bottle called Drink-Aide. Drink-Aide
is assembled, packaged, tested and distributed by Inglis House residents
who work in the vocational rehabilitation program. The Maddak Awards
Program was started to provide a forum for occupational therapists
and students to share their ideas
and innovations with
each other. Maddak, Inc. supports products such as the Eye Drop
Guide which was developed in collaboration with the British Royal
National Institute for the Blind. Body Cooler and Body Warmer products,
made in Houston, Texas, help regulate body temperatures using NASA
spin-off technology. So trust your instincts—your
homemade daily living solution could be tomorrow’s newest invention!
Lisa Schmidtke is the President
and Founder of House-calls Network. Their Web site, www.housecalls-network.com,
contains a directory of resources that can help the growing population
of seniors, disabled people and their caregivers live independently.
Housecalls Network also sells aids for daily lving and adaptive clothing.
Lisa Schmidtke can be reached by email at lisa@housecalls-network.com or
at 952-221-0722. Housecalls Network does not endorse any particular
provider and assumes no responsibility for transactions between the
readers of this article and listed organizations.
Resources
Housecalls Network:
952-221-0722;
www.housecalls-network.com
1-800-Wheelchair: 800-320-7140;
www.1800wheelchair.com/index.asp
All Lift Chairs: 800-285-2584;
www.all-lift-chairs.com
Alzheimers-Disabilities-Plaza;
www.alzheimers-disabilities-plaza.com
Body Cooler: 800-209-2665;
www.bodycooler.com
Cause I Care Gifts & Gift
Baskets; www.causeicare.com
Clever Products: 888-253-8378;
www.ez-doesit.net
Colored Plastics Canes; www.coloredplastics.com
Drink
Aide: 800-336-7022; www.drink-aide.com
Equal Access Homes: 651-450-6292
Good
Grips: www.goodgrips.com
LCSI: www.lcsilifts.com
Maddak:
973-628-7600; http://service.maddak.com
Merwin: www.robindrug.com
Target:
www.target.com
