Watch the October 27th Webinar Date / TimeThursday, October 27th1pm-2pm Eastern Time Julie McMurray of the Alzheimer's Association and Amy Finke of Lifeway Mobility will explain how dementia affects a person's safety awareness, explore home modifications to support independence, and provide helpful resources.
The early signs of ALS are when muscle cramps and twitching, weakness in hands, legs or ankles or difficulty speaking or swallowing begin. Loss of movement follows, and then moving around the home becomes progressively more difficult. The help of a caregiver, whether that person be a professional or a family member, is eventually needed. Home accessibility is better when you can plan ahead and enjoy the freedom to move around your home without big obstacles. There are ALS home modifications and adaptive equipment for ALS patients that can help extend one’s independence, and keep mobility possible. The accessibility solution will depend on the rate of progression of the disease, the style of your home, personal finances and personal choice. Here are some home modifications and adaptive equipment tips to help you find your ideal solution: Understand your options and seek help from a contractor that genuinely cares about your situation, and that offers full service – ALS adaptive equipment, remodeling, exceptional customer service. All these factors matter. There are more options that most people know about so ask for more than one choice. Get a full home evaluation specific to your needs from a proven and certified professional. There may be a solution that you haven’t thought of. Your home is unique and you are unique, and a personal evaluation is the best way to understand what is best for you. Prioritize needs and budget. Make a list and weigh your options. There can be a difference between what is desired and what is realistic. Evaluate lift and transfer solutions to reduce the human aid element. A ceiling lift may work better than a mobile lift, for example. Enjoy your independence for as long as possible. Ceiling lifts can do the heavy lifting to your bed or bath/shower and take the weight off the family or caregivers. Contact your ALS Association Foundation to visit their learning lab, gain support from their care coordinators and learn what is available through their loan closet. Add bathroom grab bars, which are one of the most affordable and viable solutions available to help reduce falls. Widen doorways if you depend on a wheelchair or any other equipment on wheels that require a bit more space for safe passage. This extra room will be helpful to open up your home and avoid frustration with tight spaces. Consider a bathroom remodel with no threshold or barriers. Roll-in showers and walk-in tubs can greatly improve comfort and ease of bathing. Couple adaptive solutions based on a priority list. A barrier-free bathroom remodel OR a combination of an stairlift or home elevator and a TubBuddy System that works with your existing bathroom. Explore funding options that may be available for your family. Home modifications and adaptive equipment installation may be covered by a non-profit or a government-backed grant. Look for that free money. ALS Home Modifications and Adaptive Equipment for ALS Patients If you follow a plan for your situation and home, independence and safety are achievable. If you need help developing that plan, then seek out a local accessibility expert near you. Please note that home construction services like door widening and accessible bathroom remodels may not be available at all Lifeway Mobility locations. Find a local ALS Chapter near you.
Hartford, CT - Lifeway Mobility, Inc. (“Lifeway”) is pleased to announce that it has acquired Accessible Systems, Inc. (“ASI”), a leading provider of home safety and accessibility solutions for people with limited mobility in the Rocky Mountain and southwest regions for over 22 years.
Most seniors want to age in place in their homes, well past retirement and into their golden years, and with a bit of help, they can. When circumstances change, specifically in the areas of mobility and ability, seniors may look for ways to make the rooms in their homes more easily accessible for themselves. Adult children of aging parents also worry that mom or dad may be more susceptible to potential risks at home, especially in the bathroom or shower. A fall while performing daily activities would surely raise concerns about their continued ability to stay safe and independent at home. Wheelchair users can grow frustrated by common barriers like narrow doorways, stairways, tight hallways and inaccessible bathing or shower facilities, just to name a few. Facing any of these challenges can be enough to make a person want to move. This Home Safety Guide for Seniors is intended to help the elderly, and their caregivers alike, commence a plan to stay in their own home as long as is possible, and on their own terms. This home safety for seniors guide contains useful information about ways to help them get around in their home an community. Lifeway Mobility can help seniors plan ahead and make informed decisions about assistive equipment and home modifications that can be the difference between living independently in their home and alternatives that are not nearly as desirable. Falls: There are Ways to Lower the Risk of a Fall The elderly are hospitalized for fall-related injuries five times more often than they are for injuries from other causes. Too often, seniors seek help after a tragic event happens. Seeking a professional assessment of one’s home environment to learn how to make it safer is highly recommended. This will help seniors and their families understand the variety of assistive and safety devices that may help reduce the risk of falling. Or, here are some common-sense ways for seniors to prevent falls right away: Use a cane or walker to steady yourself when getting up. Stand up slowly after eating, lying down or resting. Getting up too quickly can cause your blood pressure to drop, which can make you feel faint. Use a cane or walker to feel steadier when you walk. If your doctor prescribes a cane or walker, we can help find one that fits your needs. Wear rubber-soled, low-heeled shoes that fully support your feet. Wearing only socks or smooth-soled shoes on stairs or waxed floors can be unsafe. Hold the handrails when you use the stairs. Use hand grips and install grab bars throughout the house. Use a reaching stick, or more commonly known as a reacher, to reach items on top shelves. Consider a step stool with a handle. Carefully consider the safety of your bathroom. Grab bars, raised toilet seats, safety bars for your tub, and transfer benches can make your bathroom a significantly safer place. Consider purchasing a personal medical alarm to wear around your neck. These electronic devices that can bring peace of mind to you and your loved ones. Taking care of your overall health and well-being can help lower fall risks. Ask your doctor about a bone density test, which will tell how strong your bones are. Medications are available that can make your bones stronger and harder to break. Regular exercise can help keep you strong, and your joints, tendons and ligaments flexible. Talk with your doctor before beginning any program. Have your vision and hearing tested often. Even small changes in sight and hearing can make you less stable and can throw off your depth perception. Discuss possible side effects from medication with your doctor and/or pharmacist. Some medicines affect coordination and balance. Related resource: Take this Free Fall Risk Assessment Test Making Every Room in a Home Safe and Accessible Have you thought about the current and future safety and accessibility needs of all those who are living in your home? What about accessibility needs of friends and relatives who visit? Do you have an aging parent who is coming to stay for awhile? Practicing the concept of universal design, either during initial construction or with home modifications later, incorporates design elements, spaces and even equipment that make each room more user friendly for as many different people as possible. Modifications like extra-wide doorways and hallways can accommodate a walker, or make getting around easier for a person on crutches or in a wheelchair. Movable cabinets increase the usability of the kitchen wheelchair users, and anyone who has a hard time bending down or reaching up. Equipment like grab bars and support poles offer assistance when coming to a standing position, while stair lifts, wheelchair ramps, platform lifts and even residential elevators can keep every level of your home accessible to all. Home Safety Solutions to Home Accessibility Challenges Here are some solutions to common home mobility and accessibility challenges for seniors by room. Bathrooms Barrier-free showers Walk-in tubs Step-in tub cutouts Grab bars & handrails Elevated toilet seats Bath lifts Shower benches Swing & support bath basins Toilet support frames Bedroom Adjustable beds Bed rails Floor or ceiling-mounted lifts Bedside commodes Handholds/poles to help with standing Over-bed trapeze Pull-out closet shelving Handrails Kitchen Easy-access cabinetry Accessible counter tops Handrails Easy-grip utensils, ergonomic dishes Accessible appliances Reachers Pull-out shelving Living Area Stairway lifts Lift chairs Canes & walkers Home monitoring devices Walkers Safety poles Handrails Lighting Home automation devices for seniors Getting Around – inside, outside and in your community Scooters Portable ramps Power wheelchairs Rollators & canes Vehicle lifts Accessible vehicles Lightweight transport wheelchairs Porch railings Foldable canes, walkers, wheelchairs Wheelchair Users Modular ramps Door widening Curbless or barrier-free showers Residential elevators Patient and vehicle lifts Pull-out shelving Inclined platform lifts Vertical platform lifts Automatic door openers Modify Your Home Room by Room Modifying the home can be as simple as picking up throw rugs (tripping hazards) or more complex – widening doorways, installing a “curbless” shower, changing door handles to levers, installing “rocker” light switches, or opening up interior space to make it more accessible and practical for individuals who use mobility equipment. Some of the most common home modifications include: • Grab bars in bathrooms especially around the toilet and bathing area• Ramps, both interior and exterior• Stair lifts – both indoor and outdoor• Door widening• Walk-in tubs/curbless or barrier-free showers• Full bath remodels• Ceiling lifts• Porch lifts• Accessible room additions• Floor coverings to accommodate wheelchair use Staying Safe in Your Home Home automation products are ‘smart’ home devices that can help seniors monitor the security and safety of their homes, engage automated lighting systems, allow the homeowner to see who is at the door, and program the thermostat so it learns family patterns, and knows when someone is home or not. Elders can also check on pets and the security of your home while away, and so much more. These gadget can help seniors stay in their homes –– comfortably and safely. Actual smart devices include security cameras, doorbells, thermostats, smoke detectors, lighting controls and more. Emergency alert devices and systems can help seniors remain independent at home and when out and about in the community. Most systems offer options for wearing the alert button around the neck or on the wrist, and are automatically triggered when a fall is detected and the user cannot push the button. Such automated fall detection can be a real life saver. Medicare & Insurance Guide Many home medical products are covered by Medicare. What Medicare doesn’t cover, secondary insurance often will. Home modifications and accessibility equipment like stair lifts, bathroom safety, ramps, vehicle lifts, and vertical platform lifts usually are not covered by Medicare or insurance, but may be through non-profits, waiver programs, reverse mortgages, special home improvement loans, foundations and churches. Remember to weigh the cost of alternative care versus the cost of making your home environment more accessible through modification. The average annual cost of skilled care at a nursing home is $82,500 for a semi-private room, or $92,500 for a private room. Assisted living costs an average of $48,000 annually. The average rate for an in-home health aide is $23 per hour. Adult day services average about $22,000 if care is provided five days a week. Learn about how much a stair lift, wheelchair ramp, or home elevator might cost (spoiler - each solution is more cost-effective than any alternative care option above!) Stair Lift Pricing Wheelchair Ramp Pricing Home Elevator Pricing We trust you’ll find value in all the information presented and that if circumstances change, that Lifeway Mobility will be top-of-mind when needing a professional evaluation for one’s home. Related Resource: Medicaid Home Modification Funding Guide
There are many reasons landings are added to stairs. They allow stairs to change directions and also provide a space for people to rest, if needed. Stair landings are also needed when a door at the top of the steps swings inwards towards the stairway.
It's officially the summer season, which means warmer weather and more time outside enjoying fun activities in the sun. However, it also means there will be a higher chance for severe thunderstorms with high winds that can cause power outages.
Due to the pandemic, more patients with complex needs are being discharged directly home, which can cause challenges for healthcare facilities and patients. Home care and home access are part of the solution to help those with limited mobility remain in their homes safely and on parallel path to help minimize readmission.
Limited mobility and/or balance issues can restrict someone to the first level of the home and prevent access to a bedroom and shower upstairs. A senior veteran named Robert was dealing with this exact issue, until he and his family learned about stair lifts, and had one installed by Lifeway Mobility.
A stair lift provides a safe means for accessing the second-floor level of a home or a basement, for people with limited mobility or balance issues. In this case, it was an easy and affordable solution that allowed for regained independence at home after a fall on the stairs.
When evaluating your home for wheelchair access via a ramp, there are many factors to consider, such as the location for installation and type of material. There are many types of ramps available and for each individual's needs and situation, the best solution is going to vary. In this post, we'll compare aluminum and wood ramps and briefly review the best locations for the installation of a ramp.
You have decided you need a stair lift. Maybe you are caving to the nagging from well-intentioned and worried family members. Maybe you have read the shocking statistics. Like, one-fourth of Americans over the age of 65 fall each year, and the older you get, the more likely these falls can be fatal.
If the stairs start to become too difficult to manage at home, there are usually two options that people can consider to solve the problem. The first option is to remain at home (with modifications), and the other is to move to a senior living or assisted living facility. Both are feasible options, but many prefer to remain in their home because it prevents the stress of having to move again, and makes it possible to remain in the place that has so many positive emotional ties. A home is a place of comfort as it is where most people build lasting memories with family and friends, whether it be from holidays parties, or social gatherings with friends.
After being diagnosed with ALS, Larry chose to prepare his home to accommodate his FUTURE accessibility needs. The key word is FUTURE. Learning of the diagnosis was not easy, yet he has accepted it, and with acceptance comes change. He has taken multiple steps to achieve a wheelchair accessible home, to plan for the when: When he needs a power chair When he needs access into his home When he needs a bathroom that will fit a power chair When he needs to get downstairs When he needs to go outside to enjoy the outdoors When he needs support from loved ones Larry is a very special man, husband, father, grandfather and friend. We invite you to meet him to learn how he has chosen to plan for his FUTURE, for WHEN he will need a wheelchair accessible home.
At some point, due to age or disability, you or a loved one may be faced with the prospect of having to use a wheelchair to assist in your primary mobility at home. Whether it be a temporary fixture to your home or something that will be more permanent, there are a number of simple modifications that can help improve accessibility and make life easier. If you are like most people, you live in a home that was not designed to accommodate wheelchairs. Below are some simple ideas on how to make sure that you will be able to stay in your home despite the necessity of a wheelchair.
