Roll Mobility Blog
Finding Joy and Support as a Caregiver
Caring for a spouse is easier with support.
Thanks to Terri Corcoran, a full-time caregiver and public relations chair for Well Spouse™ Association, for these tips on finding joy and support in the stresses of caring for a loved one.
How do you find the support that you need as a caregiver?
I find the support I need primarily from God Whom I have learned to depend on, by virtue of being in this very difficult caregiving situation. I also get support from the Well Spouse Assn., which provides emotional support and resources for spousal caregivers; I am very active in this wonderful, unique organization.
What brings you joy in caregiving?
What brings me joy is any step my ill husband can take or any word he can say (he is very disabled physically and cognitively by FXTAS, a genetic neurodegenerative condition which he has had for practically our whole 12 year marriage thus far – still going).
I am also very happy that I have cared for him at home, where he is happy and comfortable and very peaceful. I have kept him in as good general health as possible. As I look back over the very difficult years, I feel great that I have been able to give him so much love and care – and he still loves me too!
What are the biggest obstacles that you face in caring for your husband?
The biggest obstacles are of course my husband’s extreme disabilities – he needs help with all activities of daily living. I have home health aides 10-11 hours each day to help get him around, feed him, shower him, and stay with him when I go out.
Having to depend on aides who need lots of training and who come in all different levels of competence is probably the most difficult part of my job.
What is the most helpful caregiving tip that you could share with another caregiver?
- Find support groups of others going through what you are going through.
- Pace yourself. Full-time caregiving is like running a marathon; you have to find your comfort level of how much you can handle; never forget yourself, and listen to your body; find time EVERY day to do things you enjoy, even if it’s as simple as sitting quietly and reading.
- Exercise – essential for your own health as a caregiver and a wonderful way to ease stress.
Using a Finger Oximeter for Asthma
A finger pulse oximeter can help you manage your asthma.
Do you struggle with asthma? Thanks to the advance in technology, now there is one more tool that can make your asthma easier to manage. A finger pulse oximeter is a medical device that measures the amount of oxygen in your blood and monitors your pulse.
Can I afford a finger oximeter?
In the past, pulse oximeters were large, expensive, and only available in doctor’s offices and hospitals. Now, a finger pulse oximeter is small enough to fit in your purse or pocket and costs less than $100 for entry-level models. The best part about a finger oximeter is that you can take it wherever you go.
How will a finger oximeter help me manage my asthma?
By using a finger pulse oximeter regularly, you may be able to prevent or lessen the severity of an asthma attack. When the oximeter indicates that your numbers are below normal, you can take action by using supplemental oxygen, reducing your activity level, or take other measures recommended by your doctor to prevent an asthma attack.
Regular monitoring of your blood oxygen level and pulse gives you more control over your asthma and may help you pinpoint underlying causes and patterns related to your asthma.
How reliable is a finger oximeter?
While a finger oximeter is a helpful tool for managing your asthma, think of it as just one more tool to help you know what’s going on with your body. Always be aware of your symptoms and how you feel. If the oximeter numbers are within normal range but you still feel symptoms, respond to how you feel and not to what the oximeter tells you.
7 Tips for Senior Bath Safety
A bath chair makes bathing safer.
Bathing should be enjoyable for the elderly, but because of the fear of falling, they may avoid baths. Here are 7 things you can do to make bathing safer for your loved one.
- Install grab bars near the toilet and bath tub or shower. This helps the elderly person keep their balance when sitting down, standing up, or stepping into the bath tub. Replace towel bars with safety grab bars. If the elderly person begins to fall, they will grab on to anything nearby to stop the fall. A towel bar could rip away from the wall, so make sure there are grab bars near the tub, toilet, and sink.
- Replace glass shower doors with a shower curtain to prevent the door from coming out of its tracks or shattering. A glass shower door could come out of the tracks if the elderly person grabs on to it to keep from falling.
- Provide a bath bench or shower stool so that the elderly person can sit while bathing. You can place a colored towel on the seat to prevent slipping and make it easier to see the chair before sitting down.
- To give the elderly person more independence, install a hand-held shower head to make it easier for them to wash different areas of the body while seated on a bath bench.
- Use non-slip mats on the bathroom floor and on the bottom of the tub or shower. Wipe up any water on the bathroom floor immediately to prevent slipping.
- Get everything ready for the bath or shower in advance: towels, wash cloths, soap, bath mat, shower chair, and any other grooming aids. Make sure they are within easy reach.
- Adjust the water heater to low (about 120 degrees) to prevent scalding. If you are helping the elderly person bathe, always check the water temperature before helping them wash. Wait long enough after turning on the water to let it reach the set temperature.
Wheelchair Transfers
Before helping an individual transfer in or out of a wheelchair, let them know what you plan to do.
Most elderly individuals are able to do some of the transfer work from a wheelchair on their own. When you help an individual into or out of a wheelchair, ask the individual to help with the transfer as much as possible. Be patient and allow the individual as much time as needed to do their part of the transfer.
Teamwork
If the person you are transferring is lightweight and petite, you may be tempted to do more of the lifting yourself. But it’s important to allow the person being transferred to do as much as possible. This allows the individual to retain their sense of independence and saves your back in the process.
Safety
Ask a physical therapist to show you how to maintain proper body posture when assisting with transfers. Transferring from a wheelchair to a bath bench may require a different technique than transferring from a wheelchair to a car seat.
In some cases, a two-person transfer is safer. Do not attempt to assist with a wheelchair transfer by yourself if two people are needed. An unsafe transfer puts yourself and the individual you are helping at risk for injury.
Communication
Always communicate clearly with the person you are transferring. Let them know what you are going to do before you do it, and tell them again what you are doing as you do it. If they have a difficult time hearing, communicate your intentions through gestures and body language. Always show respect for the individual’s feelings, body, and dignity.
4 Ways to Prevent Falls at Home
Using a rollator after surgery or an injury can help prevent re-injury.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in three adults over the age of 65 will fall each year. And the consequences can be fatal: falls are the leading cause of injury death for the elderly. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to reduce the risk of falls by improving the safety of their environment and making sure they have adequate mobility support.
What can you do to prevent a fall? Let’s look at 4 ways to stay on your feet:
1) Exercise regularly.
If you don’t use it, you’ll lose it! Maintaining physical strength, flexibility, and balance are important for preventing falls. If you don’t continue to exercise and use the muscles that you have, they will become weaker.
2) Get your vision checked.
Poor vision (or not wearing glasses prescribed by a doctor) makes it difficult to see potential tripping hazards. Get your vision checked regularly, and wear glasses if needed.
3) Give yourself time to recover.
Recovery from surgery, illness, and injury takes time. Don’t do more than your doctor or physical therapist recommends. Give your body time to heal, and use a mobility aid (such as a cane, walker, rollator, or wheelchair) to prevent re-injury. Bathroom safety products, such as a shower chair and grab bars, are also helpful.
4) Fall-proof your house.
Do you have loose rugs, poor lighting, or clutter on the floor? Taking simple steps to improve the safety of your home is key to preventing falls in the home.
Caregiver Advice from Erin Gilmer
Erin Gilmer
Erin Gilmer has experienced caregiving in several roles: to her mother who is disabled, to cancer patients for a volunteer organization, and as a patient advocate. She offers her advice for coping with the stresses of caregiving below:
How do you find the support that you need as a caregiver?
I find support for my caregiving by reaching out to others, whether it’s the nurses at the oncology center, the volunteer organization, colleagues in patient advocacy, or friends. I find that it is helpful to have a wide base of support. If you are leaning on only one person or organization for assistance, that person or organization may run out of energy to help.
What brings you joy in caregiving?
What brings me joy in caregiving is seeing the hope of those who are cared for.
What are the biggest obstacles that you face in caring for your loved one?
The biggest obstacles I find are time and energy. I wish I had all the time in the world to sit next to my mother when she’s in the hospital. I wish I could visit at the oncology center every day. But I have to return to my responsibilities. As for energy, balancing my life and caregiving takes quite a lot of effort. More so, when advocating for someone – whether that means coordinating care or talking to doctors, or finding treatments, or accessing care. That is really the hardest part for me. I love my mother, the friends I’ve met through volunteering, and the people I help as an advocate. But fighting for them can be difficult in our health care system.
What is the most helpful caregiving tip that you could share with another caregiver?
Take care of yourself first. Sleep when the other person sleeps. Eat regularly. Exercise regularly. Find a wide base of support.
You can find out more about Erin at www.gilmerhealthlaw.com or on her blog at www.healthasahumanright.wordpress.com.
How to Use a Transport Wheelchair
Need help setting up your transport wheelchair? Watch the video to see how easy it is to set up and fold a lightweight transport chair.
Roll Mobility’s transport wheelchairs come fully assembled and ready to use, with the leg riggings packed separately in the box. Our transport chairs are available in red or blue with an 18 inch seat width.
After you remove the transport chair from the box, take a few minutes to read the instruction manual included with this product. Then you can begin the process of setting up your wheelchair by following the instructions in the manual.
This is what your transport wheelchair will look like when it is set up and ready to use.
Opening the Wheelchair
To unfold the wheelchair, tilt the chair to one side and push down on one or both seat rails until the wheelchair is fully opened. Then lift the backrest until it locks into place. Remember to keep your hands and fingers clear of any moving parts.
Installing the Leg Riggings
To install the swingaway, removable riggings, turn the rigging to the outside of the frame and join the hinge plates on the rigging to the hinge pins on the side frame assembly. Then swing the rigging to the front of the wheelchair to lock it in place. The footplate should be located on the inside of the wheelchair. Repeat with the opposite rigging.
Adjusting the Leg Riggings
To adjust the height of the riggings for the Roll Mobility aluminum transport wheelchair, first loosen the bolt at the bottom until the footplate moves freely. Slide the footplate assembly up or down to the desired height. Then re-tighten the bolt to secure the footplate assembly in place. Do the same for the opposite rigging, making sure the riggings are set at the same height.
This is what your transport wheelchair will look like when it is folded for storage.
To adjust the height of the riggings for the Roll Mobility steel transport wheelchair, first open the cam lock lever, then push in the release buttons and slide the footplate assembly up or down to the desired height. Make sure both release buttons pop all the way out of the new adjustment holes. Then lock the cam lever to secure it in place. Repeat for the opposite rigging. Count the number of holes from the top of each rigging to the release buttons to make sure the riggings are set at the same height.
Removing the Leg Riggings
To remove the leg riggings, push the release lever and swing the rigging to the outside. Lift the leg assembly off the hinge pins. Then repeat for the opposite rigging.
Folding the Wheelchair
The last thing you need to know is how to fold the transport wheelchair. First, press the release levers on either side of the backrest and lower the backrest all the way down. Lift the footplates into the vertical position. Then grab the front and back of the seat and lift up. Now your transport chair is ready for transport or storage.
Wheelchair Van Ramp Buying Guide
A mounted van ramp makes it easy to load and unload a wheelchair or scooter.
Looking for a wheelchair ramp for your vehicle? A van ramp is an easy way to make your vehicle accessible to wheelchairs, scooters, and power chairs. Here are a few tips on how to choose a wheelchair van ramp.
Portable or Installed
Van ramps are either portable or semi-permanently installed. A portable utility van ramp allows you to use the ramp only when you need it or transfer the ramp from one vehicle to another. If you will be using your van ramp on a regular basis, we recommend a semi-permanently installed ramp. The ramp mounts to the floor of the van inside the doorway. Some mounted van ramps include a spring assist for easy operation by one person.
Rear or Side Door Van Ramp
You can choose from either a rear door van ramp or a side door ramp. When parking, you’ll need to make sure you have enough room to the side or rear of the van to unfold the ramp. The ramp should not stick out into a traffic lane or parking lot row.
A side door ramp mounts inside the sliding door and folds in half to leave the doorway partly accessible for other passengers. A rear van ramp stores vertically inside the doorway and allows you to push the wheelchair into the back of the van. Keep in mind that a rear van ramp will take up most of your rear storage space.
Ramp Length
The longer the van ramp is, the easier it will be to push or drive the wheelchair up the ramp. Just keep in mind that the longer the ramp is, the more room you will need around your van to unfold the ramp. The ADA recommends a slope no greater than 9.5 degrees for an occupied wheelchair or scooter and a slope no greater than 14.5 degrees for unoccupied chairs.
Choosing a Manual Wheelchair: Transport or Self-Propelled
Manual wheelchairs can be self-propelled or pushed by the user.
Looking for a wheelchair for yourself or a loved one? There are many options available, from customized electric wheelchairs to heavy duty wheelchairs to ultra lightweight transport chairs.
Transport or Self-Propelled
For manual wheelchairs, you have two choices: transport or self-propelled. Transport wheelchairs are for users who will be pushed around by a caregiver. Self-propelled wheelchairs are for users who want to be able to get around by themselves, along with the option of being pushed by a caregiver.
Portability
Since transport wheelchairs are lighter in weight than self-propelled wheelchairs, you can easily take the chair with you on outings. Transport chairs are easier to lift into the back of a vehicle for transport. Since the rear wheels are smaller than a self-propelled wheelchair, the transport chair is lighter and more compact.
Use
For everyday use, self-propelled wheelchairs are more common. They make it easy for the user to move around, and they often provide more comfort for users who are seated in a wheelchair most of the day. For users who only need a wheelchair for trips outside the home, such as doctor appointments and shopping, a transport chair is quick and easy to use. Some users also like the transport chair for home use, with its smaller frame and the ability to move the chair with their feet.
Fall Prevention at Home for Seniors
A bath or shower chair can prevent falls in the bathroom.
The older you get, the more serious a fall can be. Broken bones are common in the elderly, and they take much longer to heal. The best way to prevent injuries from a fall is to prevent falls in the first place! Here are some tips to prevent falls at home.
- Take time to get your balance when standing up after lying down or sitting. Standing up too fast can make you dizzy.
- Wear supportive shoes with rubber soles and low or no heels. The rubber provides better traction than stocking feet.
- Use a cane or rolling walker around the house, especially when going from room to room. A little extra “balance check” may be all you need to prevent a fall.
- Keep the floor and stairs free of clutter. Arrange furniture to the outside of the room to make a clear path for walking.
- Use chairs with sturdy arm rests to help you sit down and get back up.
- Remove throw rugs or fasten them securely to the floor with carpet tape or non-skid backing.
- Keep items within easy reach. Avoid stretching or bending over to reach objects. Use a step stool or reacher if necessary.
- Install grab bars in the bathroom near the toilet and shower. Use non-skid strips on the bottom of the bathtub or shower. A raised toilet seat and shower chair can also prevent falls in the bathroom.
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