Elder CareTips:
Mastering The Eldercare Maze™

A hearty welcome to all our new readers. We're glad to have you along on this up and down ride!  Remember, there's no such thing as a dumb question, and none of us know what we don't know.

Come, Dance A Slow Waltz With Me

"Come on Dad, put your shoes on, we're going to be late!" The busy business woman/daughter/caregiver exhorted her father as I eavesdropped from a distance. The father glanced at her slyly from the corner of his eye as he continued to fumble with his shoe. Exasperated, she bent down and swiftly tied the shoe. "OK, Dad, pick your feet up, let's go!" Dad kept his feet firmly planted on the floor in front of his wheelchair.

Noticing that I was watching, the daughter looked at me and stated emphatically, "It's a control issue."

"Yup," I thought. "It's a control issue, all right. But who's controlling who?"

Read the rest at Independence and Control in Caregiving
 

If you can lay your head on your pillow each night knowing you gave hundred per cent to your day, success will find you. ~ Russell L. Mason

Blind Veteran Services

Did you know that blind veterans may be eligible for outpatient services at a VA Medical Center or for admission to a VA blind rehabilitation center or clinic? Services are available at all VA medical facilities through the Visual Impairment Services (VIST) Coordinator.

Aids and services for blind veterans may include:
	A complete health and benefits review by a VA Visual Impairment Services team;
	Training for adjustment to blindness;
	Home adaptations;
	Low vision aids and training in their use;
	Electronic aids, including adaptive computers and computer-assisted devices;
	Guide dogs and training, and assistance with the cost of the dog's medical care;
	Braille literature, talking books, and tapes

More Resources For The Blind Or Handicapped

The National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS) offers the free loan of recorded and Braille books and magazines; music scores in Braille and large print; and specially designed playback equipment to residents of the United States who are unable to read or use standard print materials because of visual or physical impairment. Service is also extended to eligible American citizens residing abroad.

While the NLS administers the program, direct service is provided through cooperating libraries. You can use the following information to contact the NLS for application forms and addresses of cooperating libraries:

Local Phone: 1-202-707-5100

Toll-free: 1-888-NLS-READ (657-7323)

TDD: 1-202-707-0744

Fax: 1-202-707-0712

Mail: National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped
Library of Congress
Washington, D.C. 20542

E-mail: nls@loc.gov
 

Change is inevitable - except from a vending machine ~Robert C. Gallagher

It's The Little Things

Seems like the more fuel efficient our vehicles get, the lower they get to the ground and the harder they are to get out of. If we notice it, then our elders notice it in spades. When your knees are a tad stiff and painful, and your balance isn't the best, getting in and out of the car can be a dicey endeavor.

 The HandyBar fits into the U shaped piece on your car door frame (there's one on the passenger side, too). It will support up to 350 pounds, and provides a sturdy support while moving in and out of the car. It's much safer than trying to support someone's weight yourself, and it will give the person using it a great deal more independence. A younger client of mine who has multiple sclerosis says she won't leave home without it.

You can sometimes find the HandyBar in local stores that carry a wide selection of disability items, and it's carried at Amazon.com, as well. If you order through the Amazon link we make a few pennies, which helps to pay the costs of keeping this website free for everyone.