• Site Options:

Meeting the Challenge

Posted on: October 11th, 2012 by HammerMedBlogger

We have talked a lot lately about home accessibility and the challenges that face those that have limited mobility but wish to stay in their home. Up to this point, we’ve talked in generalities, using the term “limited mobility,” but now I’d like to focus on a disease that affects thousands in the real world: multiple sclerosis.

The symptoms of MS are caused by the immune system attacking the myelin (light gray) that protects the nerves (red).

Multiple sclerosis is a progressive disease in which the myelin sheaths covering nerve cells become damaged, resulting in slow or stopped nerve signals from inflammation from the body’s immune system attacking the nervous system. As MS progresses, the affected person most often loses control of their legs, and will more than likely have to use a wheelchair at some point. This is where home accessibility comes into play.

Wheelchairs provide unique challenges to a home as they require more space for turning and maneuvering. With that in mind, wide enough doorways for a wheelchair to fit through would be a good place to start. A minimum of 32 inches is needed.

Another item that could help, especially if you or your loved one must go up and down staircases in your home, is a stair lift. This allows for more independence and a safer transition between floors in your home for the MS patient and their caregiver.

A portable ramp would also be of great use, both for accessing your own home and homes of family members and friends that visit frequently. This would reduce the stressful situation of trying to pull a full wheelchair up the front steps.

MS, unfortunately, does not have a cure. However, life can be made as normal as possible by thinking about home accessibility logically. Find ways to increase space and reduce stress on the patient and the caregiver. Hammer Medical can help provide these solutions and more, and are proud to offer our equipment and services to those with MS or anyone that needs them.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Multiple Sclerosis | Comments Off on Meeting the Challenge

Staying Mobile with MS

Posted on: September 20th, 2012 by HammerMedBlogger

Decreased mobilityis an unfortunate side effect of multiple sclerosis, and it occurs as part of the nerve degeneration resulting from the body attacking its own nerve cells. What starts as a loss of balance or foot drop (not being able to flex the foot up as you walk) can turn into a complete loss of leg use. My great aunt Beverly, who has MS, has been in a wheelchair for as long as I can remember, and our family friend Rich was diagnosed a few years ago and has had his mobility become compromised in recent years.

Many people with multiple sclerosis rely on wheelchairs, power chairs and mobility scooters for assistance.

The mobility issues faced by MS patients can be made easier by various pieces of home medical equipment, most of which are offered by Hammer Medical. For MS patients that have just begun to lose their mobility but can still get around on their own, a cane and or lift chair can help significantly with moving around and standing up or sitting down. A mobility scooter can also be used for outdoor events or to go on walks with family and friends

Manual wheelchairs work great for those that can no longer support themselves, don’t need to cover large distances outdoors and live with someone or have someone to help them care for themselves. For the maximum amount of independence, a power chair can help those who have lost mobility completely navigate the tight spaces in their home, as well as go for longer distances outside.

Aside from these items, Hammer Medical can also evaluate homes for any accessibility modifications you or your loved one’s home may need including walk or roll-in tubs and showers, grab bar installation, doorway widening and more.

For any mobility or accessibility needs for those with MS, Hammer Medical would take great pleasure in helping any way we can. Contact us or come by any of our locations so we can help take care of you or your loved one.

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in Multiple Sclerosis | Comments Off on Staying Mobile with MS

Boomer Accessibility

Posted on: September 13th, 2012 by HammerMedBlogger

The Baby Boomer generation consists of around 79 million people, the result of the post-World War II birth boom. They grew up during a time of great social, racial and political change and turmoil that shaped who they are today. As this integral group of American culture ages, they will face another change, one that eventually affects everyone: loss of mobility.

A home modification could be necessary for you or your parents as time goes on.

Whatever their individual needs, one thing is clear: senior-friendly, accessible housing will be at a premium. Nursing and assisted living homes are also options, but one trait of the Baby Boomers is that they are independent and like to do things their own way. With that in mind, you may be looking at needing to make modifications to your parent’s home. But where do you start?

Let’s assume one of your parents is in a wheelchair. First things first: they need a way to get into their home. A small ramp or no-step entry to the front door is essential, as is having a large enough maneuvering space on the doorstep to get a wheelchair in position.

The second thing you need to look at it is widening doorways throughout your parent’s home so that a wheelchair can fit through. Doorways need to be a minimum of 32 inches wide for a wheelchair to comfortably pass through. Once inside, you may need to create more space for a wheelchair to maneuver in each room. You can rearrange the furniture or even sell or giveaway furniture that is taking up too much space and isn’t necessary anymore.

Next you need to look at the bathrooms in your home for accessibility. Hammer Medical specializes in bathroom safety modifications, as well as accessibility modifications for the rest of your home.

If your parents wish is to stay independent in their own home, then contact Hammer Medical today about an accessibility evaluation to help your parents stay safe and healthy in their home.

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Home Accessibility | Comments Off on Boomer Accessibility

Sharp as a Tack

Posted on: August 22nd, 2012 by HammerMedBlogger

Have you been forgetting a lot of the small things lately? Not being able to remember where you set your car keys from time to time, or leaving out words in a sentence that you type is normal. However, as we age we do have to be vigilant about keeping our minds at peak performance to help stave off Alzheimer’s and other dementias. There are plenty of easy ways to go about this, some as simple as reading a book or staying social.

To start, try to shaking up your routine. Research has shown that doing things out of the norm can activate your brain because it has to process new information. This can be simple things like taking a different route to the grocery store or pharmacy, or eating with the opposite hand. Things like this allow new connections to be made within the brain, which means higher brain function.

You can also keep your mind activated by learning about new subjects or trying to memorize things. Make a list of subjects that have always interested you, then head to the library or bookstore and find books on these subjects. Learning a new language is another great way to stay shape. Perhaps you want to take a trip in the coming year to an international destination, and learning the local language would make things easier. Memorization is another trick you can use to stay sharp. It can start with something simple like the lyrics to a new song and progress up to the 50 states and their capitals.

As always, eating right and adding exercise to your week routine will help keep your mind and body fresh. Hammer Medical can help keep you active with our selection of portable oxygen and mobility products to keep you on the move and staying social. Young or old, there is never a bad time to train your mind and keep it on top of its game!

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Mental Health | Comments Off on Sharp as a Tack

Less Pain, More Gain

Posted on: August 17th, 2012 by HammerMedBlogger

For most of our lives our bones are strong and dense, and our joints work like a well-lubricated transmission. However, just like an older transmission that wears off its lubrication, so our bones and joints began to breakdown from normal wear and tear, injuries or hormonal changes in the body. This leads to two of the most common conditions found in seniors: arthritis and osteoporosis.

Arthritis occurs when the cartilage, the “grease” that allows the bones in our joints to move fluidly, breaks down. It wears away from repeated use or becomes pitted so that it causes you pain when the partner bone in the joint rubs against it. The synovial membrane, the fluid barrier surrounding the cartilage and joint, can also become inflamed.

On the other hand, osteoporosis occurs on the inside of the bone. As we age, the body reabsorbs calcium and phosphate from bones or doesn’t produce enough new bone tissue. This causes bones to become brittle and less dense, which in turn makes them prone to fracture, even without injury.

Both of these medical conditions can lead to temporary or permanent loss of mobility. Arthritis in the knees can become so bad that you may need knee replacement surgery, putting you in a wheelchair or mobility scooter. This can also happen with fractures caused by osteoporosis, especially in women since they are more susceptible to developing it.

If you or a loved one needs help with their mobility because they have developed arthritis or osteoporosis, come to Hammer Medical for help. We have lift chairs, power chairs, scooters and more to help get you or your partner around. We can also provide you with accessibility solutions for your home such as stair lifts and walk-in bathtubs and showers. We want to help you live the life you want not be limited by arthritis and osteoporosis.

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Mobility | Comments Off on Less Pain, More Gain

Make Your Home Accessible and Safe

Posted on: July 10th, 2012 by HammerMedBlogger

Not being able to reach certain parts of your house because of your age or a medical condition can be a grim reality to face. You’ve lived in your home for so long, and you love it, but you can no longer make it to all parts of your home without assistance. You don’t want to move because your home is as much a part of you as you are of it, but finding a more accessible home or moving into an assisted living center seem like the only real options. Before you begin looking for somewhere else to live or put your house on the market, consider a home modification from Hammer Medical.

A home modification is a solution that lets you stay in your existing home while making it more accessible to you and your loved ones. Widening doorways to allow a power chair to pass through, building a wheelchair ramp for easier access to your home or installing an elevator in your home are just a few of the home modifications our certified and licensed contractor can do. They can also install stair lifts or wheelchair lifts to get you up and down the stairs in your home and provide you with complete accessibility to your home from top to bottom. We will assess your home and create an accessibility plan that fits your home, needs and budget.

Not only can we evaluate and assist you with the accessibility of your home, but we can also help make it a safer environment for you. A study done by the Center for Disease Control last year showed that bathrooms are one of the most dangerous places for those over age 65. Our contractors can help you decide if a walk-in tub or shower is appropriate for your level of mobility. They can also install grab bars to help you move around your bathroom safely and securely.

When it comes to your accessibility and safety in your home, Hammer Medical has the resources to help increase both. Contact us today to find out how we can help you be more mobile and safer in your home while staying within your budget.

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Home Accessibility, Home Modification | Comments Off on Make Your Home Accessible and Safe

Flying with Your Mobility Device

Posted on: June 6th, 2012 by HammerMedBlogger

As the summer begins, more and more people will take to the roads and skies to travel around the country or world to see family or exotic locations. If you depend on a mobility device to help you get around, you know that traveling, especially flying, comes with its own set of hurdles and difficulties.  However, flying with a mobility device can be easy if you know what steps you need to take before you hit the airport terminal.

  • For any mobility device: Let the airline know of your mobility limitations while being as honest as possible. While it may be hard to acknowledge our own limitations, doing so will allow for the correct amount of assistance to be given to you, meaning less stress.
  • Canes: your cane will be permitted on most planes, but it will have to be run through the screening machines. If you cannot walk a few steps without it, you can request a manual pat down by a same-sex officer, or ask that your cane be run through the screening machine and then returned to you before you walk through the metal detector.
  • Walkers and manual wheelchairs: the screening procedure is similar to that for cane users, but your walker or wheelchair won’t be screened. Most wheelchairs and walkers can be gate-checked. Before parting with your walker or wheelchair, make sure all external parts like footrests are folded up to prevent damage. For wheelchair users flying alone, ask the airport if they provide escort passes for a family member to take you to the gate, or if the airport can assist you with your own wheelchair.
  • Power chairs and scooters: the main concern with power chairs and scooters is your battery type. “Wet” batteries must be taken out and boxed up because of possible acid spillage. “Dry” batteries can be kept in your power chair. If you have “wet” batteries, call the airport before hand to see if they will box them up or if you must do that yourself.

Hopefully these tips allow you to experience a stress-free airport experience when traveling this summer. We want to wish anyone traveling this summer happy and safe travels!

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in Mobility | Comments Off on Flying with Your Mobility Device

Oxygen On the Move

Posted on: May 31st, 2012 by HammerMedBlogger

It wasn’t long ago that if you needed extra oxygen it meant wheeling around a large, heavy tank full of compressed or liquid oxygen. Ironically, trying to transport this cumbersome piece of equipment caused faster consumption of oxygen or a lack of oxygen, resulting in fatigue. This meant less time doing the things we loved, such as going for walks, playing with children or grandchildren, or going to certain events. However, new technology in the oxygen mobility field has allowed for a line of new products that can provide the same oxygen support as the old, heavy tanks while being less burdensome.

As oxygen delivery has become more efficient, the need for larger tanks of oxygen has decreased. No longer do we have to worry about running into people, walls or other things with large, bulky oxygen portability systems. Now, we can move our oxygen around safely with products like the Invacare E-Cylinder Oxygen Portability System. It’s lightweight, durable and compatible with almost any home oxygen prescription. There are also ways for us to fill our own high-pressure oxygen containers at home using products like the Invacare HomeFill II System. This oxygen compressor allows for greater independence and freedom from service calls that can take be costly and time consuming.

Another area of products making oxygen more convenient are oxygen concentrators, both for home use and when we’re on the move. Oxygen concentrators take the surrounding air and purify if it by running it through various filters. Home oxygen concentrators, such as the Invacare Perfecto Oxygen Concentrator, provide us with pure oxygen at home without the need for larger, costly tanks. However, there are also portable oxygen concentrators for outside our homes that allow us to be even more independent. Some of these concentrators have even been approved by the Federal Aviation Administration for use on planes, which is great for those of us that like to travel a lot.

In this day and age, oxygen is now more convenient, portable and available to us than ever. Hammer Medical has both home and portable oxygen delivery systems that can fit the greatest need, so check out their online catalog for a better oxygen experience today!

Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Portable Oxygen | Comments Off on Oxygen On the Move

Adaptive Equipment – A Driving Force

Posted on: April 5th, 2012 by vgmforbin

To those for whom mobility is limited, the ability to move around freely is a gift whose benefit can only be truly understood once it has been taken away. Imagine having to rely upon someone else for everything that you do – each trip to the grocery store, each run by the dry cleaners, each foray to the library or each errand to the pharmacy, doctor’s office or your child’s school. And then imagine how marvelous it would be if this opportunity, sometimes taken away so unexpectedly, could be returned to you through the use of adaptive equipment added to your car, van or truck.

Adaptive equipment is defined as a wide range of appliances, materials and supplies that help those with disabilities accomplish more activities of daily living and become more functionally independent. Adaptive equipment added to cars and vans help drivers and passengers get in and out of their vehicles, use driving controls and store other mobility equipment.

Following is a partial list of adaptive equipment often used in vehicles to help those with disabilities soar to new levels:

 

  • A Power Door Opener is a device that opens and closes a vehicle door electronically via a remote switch.
  • An Under the Vehicle Lift is a wheelchair lift stored under the frame of the van. An Automatic Lift, not located under the vehicle, permits the raising, lowering, stowing and deploying of the lift to be handled remotely by a power source. A Semi-Automatic Lift allows the raising and lowering of the platform to be handled electronically, but the storage and deployment of the platform to and from a horizontal position is handled manually.
  • A Raised Fiberglass Roof is a separately installed after the vehicle’s original roof has been removed. This permits increased head room in the van.
  • A Raised Door Opening permits additional door entry height for vehicle entry and exit. The manufacturer’s original doors are modified to add the extra height needed.
  • A Center Lowered Floor, also called a Cargo Lowered Floor, means that the floor in the rear passenger area of the vehicle has been lowered. The manufacturer’s original floor is removed and lowered from the rear of the driver/passenger seats to the front of the rear wheel wells.
  • Transfer Bars or Handles assist an individual in movement or balance.
  • Five steering devices (Knob, Tri-Pin, “U” or “V”, Cuff and Amputee) help people with specialized needs hold onto the steering wheel.
  • Low and Zero Effort Steering is a steering system modification in which the effort of steering the vehicle is reduced.
  • Foot Steering permits the steering of the vehicle to be operated by the driver’s foot.
  • Horizontal Steering is the installation of a replacement steering column that permits the steering wheel to be moved to a horizontal plane.
  • A Column Extension is a spacer that brings the steering system closer to the driver.
  • Manual Hand Controls allow the braking and acceleration systems to be controlled manually by the driver’s hand instead of foot.
  • Powered Gas and Brake Systems supplement driver force and motion with vehicle power to control acceleration, speed and braking.
  • Joystick Control is a system that allows operation of multiple functions with a single lever.
  • A Left Foot Accelerator is installed to the left of the brake pedal and allows vehicle acceleration with the driver’s left foot.
  • Low or Minimal Effort Braking is a modification that reduces the braking force.
  • Manual Parking Brake Extension is a handle that allows the parking brake to be set with the driver’s hand. The Electric Parking Brake is a motor or actuator that sets and releases the parking brake electrically.
  • A Power Seat Base is installed beneath the manufacturer’s seat and permits the original seat to be moved in a combination of directions as needed. A Removable Seat Base allows a factory seat to be removed or repositioned while still maintaining equipment specifications.
  • A Gear Shift Extension is a device that attaches to the original gear selector and permits increased leverage.
  • An Adapted Key Holder improves key grip and turning leverage.
  • A Car Top Carrier is an integrated wheelchair lift and storage compartment for a manual wheelchair. With this adaptation, the wheelchair is lifted and stored on the roof of the car.
  • Wheelchair Securement is a manual or electronic tie-down system that holds the wheelchair steady in a moving vehicle.
  • A Scooter Hoist or Lift facilitates the loading and unloading of a scooter into a vehicle.
  • GM’s Sit ‘N Lift Power Seat is a fully motorized, rotating lift and lower passenger seat that makes vehicle entrance and exit much easier.

 

The GM Mobility Reimbursement Program reimburses customers up to $1,000 off of the cost of any eligible aftermarket adaptive equipment. Making lives better for those whose lives have been drastically altered is a calling well worth pursuing. Adaptive equipment? Think of it as a driving force.

 

Copyright © caregiver.com, Inc. 1995 – 2011.  All rights reserved

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Adaptive Equipment – A Driving Force