Safety Archives - Abiding Care

February 9, 2017 by Michael Kernan. Administrator

What Kinds of Assistive Devices Can Help Your Loved One Use the Restroom Safely?

Senior Care in Park Ridge IL

Toileting can be a dangerous and vulnerable time for your elderly loved one. Making sure that she can do what she needs to do safely is easier to do when you have the right kinds of assistive devices available to her.

Elevated Toilet Seats or Toilet Risers

Elevated toilet seats sit on top of the existing toilet seat, replacing it with a higher version. Toilet risers, on the other hand, install between the floor and the toilet to increase the height of the toilet overall. These items aren’t permanent, but they do secure to the toilet. Elevated toilet seats and toilet risers are useful if your loved one finds it difficult to raise and lower herself from the toilet.

Safety Rails for the Toilet

Toilet safety rails fit around or onto the toilet itself. Some can bolt to the floor or the wall while other versions secure around the toilet itself to hold them in place. These rails give your loved one a stable place to grab for balance and to help support her weight as she raises and lowers herself onto the toilet.

Handheld Urinals and Bedpans

If your elderly loved one has difficulty getting up from bed or from a seated position to go to the bathroom, especially at night, then handheld urinals and bedpans can be very helpful for her. Many of these types of devices are built with spill-reducing features, which help to avoid big cleanups later. They’re also made from materials that are easy to keep clean and sterile for your loved one.

Bedside Commode Chairs

Commode chairs are usually made with a metal frame and use a plastic commode within the fame. This type of device can sit beside your loved one’s bed, recliner, or couch. It’s perfect for a loved one who can get out of bed but possibly not to the bathroom in time. the chair is portable enough that you can move it to wherever your elderly loved one needs it at any given time.

Ask your elderly loved one’s physician to help you determine which devices would be most useful for your elderly loved one if you’re having trouble narrowing down the choices.

If you or an aging loved-on are considering senior care in Park Ridge, IL, please call the caring staff at A-Abiding Care today. Serving North and Northwest Chicago and the surrounding area for over 30 years. Call 847-698-1400.

January 31, 2017 by Michael Kernan. Administrator

What Does Your Elderly Loved One Need in a Scooter?

Home Care in Park Ridge IL

Once you determine that a scooter is the right option for your loved one, it’s important to look at the various features that you can get with the scooter.

A Comfortable Seat that Swivels and Convertible Armrests

Your loved one needs to be comfortable in her scooter, but she also needs to be able to maneuver safely and easily. So in addition to a comfortable seat that fits her properly, your loved one’s scooter also needs to have armrests that are supportive but that can also fold up to get them out of her way. Another plus is for the seat to swivel so your loved one can get into and out of it easily.

A Stable Base with Four Wheels

You can find quite a few different types of scooters out there, but the most stable ones are those that have a base with four wheels, one at each corner. This is especially important if your elderly loved one has balance issues since the four wheels can help keep the scooter stable while she stands or sits down.

Lights and Reflective Tape or Decals

If your loved one ever uses her scooter at night or in occasions where the lighting is low, it’s a good idea to make sure that your loved one’s scooter has lights on the front and the back. You can add these with aftermarket kits, but it’s much easier if you choose one that has that feature already installed. Also, reflective tape or decals along the rest of the scooter make it much easier to spot.

Controls that Are Easy to Use

A scooter that is difficult for your loved one to operate is likely going to be one that she avoids using, which defeats the purpose. Look for one that has simple controls that your loved one finds easy to operate on her own.

Mirrors, Storage, and Other Accessories

There are several other features that might seem frivolous at first, but they’re actually safety devices. Mirrors allow your loved one to see all sides of her as she’s operating the scooter. Storage sections give your loved one space to keep multiple items so that she doesn’t have to hold onto them, allowing her to concentrate on operating the scooter.

Keep the manual and other information about operating and troubleshooting the scooter handy so that other family members and elderly care providers can easily grab it if it’s needed.

If you or an aging loved-on are considering home care in Park Ridge IL, please call the caring staff at A-Abiding Care today. Serving North and Northwest Chicago and the surrounding area for over 30 years. Call 847-698-1400.

December 7, 2015 by Michael Kernan. Administrator

AAbiding Care’s Holiday Home Decorating Tips for Safe Holidays for Seniors

The holidays present a special opportunity for you to visit with senior loved ones that you may not have been able to spend a lot of quality time with for a while. It is also a great time to make sure that your senior loved one’s holiday is safe as well as festive. Whether your loved one is enjoying the season in your home or his or her own, following these safety tips can ensure that everyone’s holiday is happy and bright.

Decorating:

In the senior’s home, or yours if he or she will be spending time there:

Use simple decorations that don’t cause clutter. Always ensure that there is plenty of room to walk.
Keep extension cords out of the way to avoid tripping.
Replace candles with bright centerpieces of fruit or flowers, or consider using battery powered candles.

Lighting:

While we often like to enjoy the colorful holiday lighting on its own, keep these things in mind when seniors are around:

Make sure that all locations are properly lit. Dim holiday lights can hide tripping hazards and make it difficult to see around furniture.
Add a nightlight in the guest bedroom and bathroom and make sure light switches are easily accessible.

Floor Safety:

With all the decorations, tripping hazards can become an issue for seniors during the holidays, so remember to:

Keep floors clutter-free.
Keep outdoor walkways clear.
Arrange furniture so people can easily move around it.
Add non-slip pads under rugs.
Keep rambunctious pets from running around while the senior is walking through the house.
Designate a special out-of-the-way area for children to play with their new toys while the senior is visiting.

It’s important to recognize the special care needs of seniors during the holiday season in order to make their home, or visits to your home, safe and fun. If you’d like more information on home modifications to help make holidays safer for seniors, or any other in-home senior care needs, contact the Chicago home care experts at AAbiding Care through our online form or by calling 847-698-1400.

October 28, 2015 by Michael Kernan. Administrator

Is It Time for a Better Quality of Life with Chicago Home Care?

Whether it’s a nagging feeling that bothers you after a visit or a comment or action that made you wonder if something is wrong, it might not be at first obvious that a loved one needs support at home to stay safe and sound.

If you’ve been wondering but don’t know where to start, A-Abiding Care, which provides home care services in the Chicago area, can help. A-Abiding Care is encouraging seniors and their families to regularly take a good look at their circumstances, to see if anything has changed that may indicate that extra help is needed. Securing professional in-home care assistance when the first warning signs surface, rather than waiting until there is an urgent need, will help to ensure that loved ones can age in place longer, rather than facing a move.

If you or a loved one has made the decision to age in place and receive in-home care, the next step is to assess the level of care required. There is a classic assessment test called the Lawton Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale, developed to help professional caregivers assess the level of assistance needed in the home; however, here is a list of some of the main daily activities that anyone can use to help determine their in-home care needs.

Ability to use a telephone: This is an important function for seniors in the event of an emergency. If the senior can operate a phone, look up phone numbers, and dial a few well-known numbers, he or she may not need assistance in this area. However, if the senior can only answer the phone, but not dial, or cannot use a phone at all, this is an area where assistance is needed.
Shopping: Depending on mobility, some seniors may be able to shop for themselves, while others may need accompaniment to the store or to have their shopping done by a caregiver.
Food preparation: Proper nutrition is important for aging seniors, and you may find that your loved ones are not maintaining an adequate diet from the meals they prepare for themselves. If this is the case, they may need assistance with food preparation.
Housekeeping: Daily household chores can be daunting for frail seniors. This is an area where many home care clients require assistance to help maintain upkeep of their homes.
Medication responsibilities: A certain amount of memory loss is common with aging, so many seniors feel the need to receive medication reminders. For seniors with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, this assistance is particularly important.

If any of these areas – or others – are causing you concern, contact A-Abiding Care so our trained staff can perform an in-home assessment and give you recommendations on the best options for you and your loved one for home care services in the Chicago area. Our staff can provide daily help for everyday tasks, such as light housekeeping, meals, shopping, and transportation. Our qualified nurses can also provide assistance with medical care, such as taking medications or caring for medical issues such as wound care, blood pressure monitoring, and more. If your loved one is in the Chicago area, contact us today at 847-698-1400. We’d love to provide your care solution.

August 12, 2015 by Michael Kernan. Administrator

Low Cost Ways to Make a Home Safer for Seniors with Impaired Vision

Is someone you love experiencing vision loss? The fear of losing independence with vision loss can be extremely stressful for your loved one. At A-Abiding Care, our quality caregivers provide the opportunity for our clients to age comfortably at home. We also have a few low cost home modification suggestions that allow your loved one to maintain a safer living environment.

A general rule of thumb, when making home modifications for seniors with impaired vision, is to pay special attention to the basic concepts of lighting, color and contrast:

Lighting

Try to maintain continuous lighting levels throughout the home. If possible, install supplementary lighting in entryways, hallways, and at the top and bottom of each staircase to eliminate shadows or excessively bright areas.
Install fluorescent ceiling fixtures for general room lighting, supplemented with incandescent, LED, or halogen lighting in desk lamps, table lamps, and floor fixtures.
Use a bedside lamp with a “clap-on” feature, or one that can activate by simply touching the base.
Use lamp shades that are light-colored and translucent; generally, this type of shade allows the maximum transmission of light without glare.

Color

Solid, bright colors such as red, orange, and yellow are generally the easiest to see because of their ability to reflect light.
Distinguishing colors within each of the following groups may be more difficult for some individuals who have low vision:
- Navy blue, brown and black
- Blue, green and purple
- Pink, yellow and pale green
Use bright colored paint to mark pot handles, staircase railings, stove controls, etc.

Contrast

Place light-colored objects against darker backgrounds. A white sheet of paper is more visible against a brown desktop or dark blotter.
Place dark objects against lighter backgrounds. A dark chair will stand out better against white or cream‑colored walls.
Use white plates on a dark tablecloth, or place dark dishes on a white or light-colored cloth.

Use a reversible black and white cutting board to provide contrast. For example, onions, potatoes and yellow squash will show up more clearly on the black side, while the white side will provide greater contrast with tomatoes and green vegetables.

If someone you love could use in-home assistance in order to maintain independence and a safe living environment, A-Abiding Care’s quality caregivers are here to help. Our experienced team will provide a free in-home assessment prior to starting care, as a base for our comprehensive care plan. Contact us today to learn more about how A-Abiding Care can help you or you loved in the greater Chicago area.