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Useful Equipment For Seniors
Every caregiver will find that the right equipment, both medical and otherwise, makes life easier. From canes and wheelchairs to more consumer-oriented equipment for daily life, equipment covers everything that is re-useable.
The rules and regulations regarding how Medicare covers some medical equipment and what you must pay for are sometimes confusing. We cover that in this department, too.
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Medicare Covers Diabetic Supplies - But It's Not Automatic
Several years back when Charlie Adams was first diagnosed with Diabetes, he learned to use special equipment and suplies to regularly test his blood sugar. As the cost of living has increased, and Charlie's pension has stayed more or less the same, the supplies necessary for living well with diabetes are beginning to cost him more per month than he can now afford. Recently Charlie cut back to testing his blood just twice a day instead of the four times his doctor wants him to check . . . keep reading
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Hearing Aid Basics
More than 21 million Americans suffer from some degree of hearing impairment. If your elder is one of them you know the frustration, anxiety and even dangerous errors that can stem from not hearing well. Hearing aids often make a big, positive difference in the lives of people who don't hear well. While they won't resolve all hearing problems, and they aren't appropriate for everyone, they do improve the quality of life for millions of users . . . keep reading
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Telephones For the Very Elderly
As seniors age the telephone becomes their lifeline to the outside world. But as eyesight and dexterity decline, and arthritis and forgetfulness increase, many of the telephones we choose for our seniors become difficult for them to use . . . keep reading
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Dycem: It's the Bee's Knees
Do you have a gadget in your home that before it ended up in your hands you never knew existed, and now you can't live without? Dycem is one of those things. Dycem is actually the material used to make dozens of sanity-saving items that can make our caregiving lives easier, and that will make things easier for our elders, too . . . keep reading
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Air Travel With Oxygen: Prepare Early For a Successful Flight
With the summer travel season rapidly approaching many of us are having thoughts about flying somewhere with our elders. There is usually no reason why someone who uses supplementary oxygen can't be included in our travel plans, as long as we prepare early. Air travel with oxygen will require some important pre-planning . . . keep reading
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The TV Remote: A Senior's Most Important Piece of Equipment
Don Whitten, who serves as maintenance manager for a large assisted living residence, says that his true title should be "television remote programmer." Every day, according to Don, he re-sets no less than 3 TVs for residents who manage to mess up the teeny, tiny buttons on their remote control units. "It's a true emergency around here," he laughs, "when Wheel of Fortune goes black." . . . keep reading
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Help Getting a Wheelchair Ramp and Safety Equipment
My mother with MS came to live with me recently. She uses a wheelchair, and can still take care of herself. With our combined income we are paying our bills (barely), but we can't afford to buy a wheelchair ramp or any safety bars for the bathroom. Do you know of any programs that help pay for handicapped equipment or ramps? . . . keep reading
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Living With Arthritis: Easy Door and Cabinet Fixes
More than heart disease, cancer or diabetes, arthritis limits our activities at home. More than 50 percent of all adults have some form of arthritis, which can make even the most common daily activities frustrating and painful. Many of the small things around the house that are hard to use can be easily modified or replaced, increasing the independence and quality of life for the person with arthritis and reducing the amount of help caregivers have to provide . . . keep reading
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Home Medical Equipment Covered by Medicare
Don has painstakingly saved almost $15,000 to cover the anticipated cost of buying medical equipment for his wife to use when he brings her home from an in-patient rehabilitation stay. He called us this week looking for information about where he could get the best deals on a hospital bed, a wheelchair and the other equipment she will need. It's a good thing he did . . . keep reading
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A Personal Emergency Response System (PERS) For Your Senior
A personal emergency response system (PERS) is often the first "monitoring" device a family chooses for a senior who spends time alone, either in their own home or while caregiving families are away at work. With hundreds of personal emergency response systems now available, what exactly are they, who will benefit most from having one, what should you look for, and what should you avoid? . . . keep reading
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When a Bath Simply Isn't Going to Happen
We've written before about the difficulty some of our seniors have with the notion of bathing. In many cases, "why" is anyone's guess, but the resulting odors and potential for skin problems mean we can't let this go on forever. Tempting as it may be to put your parent in a head lock and drag her/him kicking and screaming into the shower, this is probably not the best solution . . . keep reading
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Age in Place: With Forethought It Can Be Done
The US Census says that 78.5% of seniors over the age of 75 were homeowners in the second quarter of 2009. We would bet our bottom dollar that most of these homeowners, and all their younger counterparts, have every intention of "aging in place" at home for the remainder of their lives. With assisted living and nursing home facilities costing between $2,500 and $10,00 per month, a senior can make a lot of home adaptations for the cost of just a few months' facility care . . . keep reading
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Setting Up a Senior Sickroom
When you are planning the setup of a room for your aging relative, it will pay off if you get the right start. Making changes around an elderly person who has "settled in" and doesn't like changes can be a monumental challenge. Accomplish most of these things before your senior moves into the room and you will find that your (or any other caregiver's) job will be easier . . . keep reading
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Why Those Hearing Aids Never Did Work Right
Aunt Elsie wouldn't wear her hearing aids. She had a drawer full. Her every other sentence started with, "What??? I can't hear you when you mumble!" Everyone who spent more than a short time with Aunt Elsie left with a headache and a sore throat from trying to communicate with her. Her son Tom wore himself out trying to find hearing aids that would work for her. He never did have any success. Most everyone put it down to the fact that she always was a difficult woman. . . . keep reading
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Standard Walker or Rolling Walker: What Kind of Walker is Best For Your Senior?
Rolling walkers with hand brakes and built-in seats are now all the rage among our seniors. Visit a senior residence and you'll see real competition for the fanciest rolling walker with the most bells and whistles. The poor resident with a standard walker simply can't compete, even with those snazzy tennis ball cups on the walker feet. Should you get a rolling walker for your senior, too? . . . keep reading
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Alzheimers Disease
