Prices are approximate
Figure 25
Table lamp
Weighs less than 1pound.
Amazon price: $7.99
Click here to see on amazon.com: LED table lamp
***
Figure 26
Remote control for lights
Pam Padgett found these lamp controls on Amazon. She had an 87-year old neighbor, Jim. Jim has cancer as well as other physical problems. When he tried to turn his lamps on and off he frequently would lose his balance and fall to the floor. Pam bought this for Jim, and she liked it so well she got a set for herself.
When I was injured Pam sent me a set of these remote controls for my lamp. I have found these to be critical.
They are very easy to install as you can see in the above photos.
Pam has given us exact information concerning how to order these from Amazon, should you choose to do so.
Amazon price: $23
Click here to see on amazon.com: Wireless remote for outlets
***
Figure 27
Trash Can
I found it virtually impossible to keep a roll of paper towels in an area where I could reach them with my left hand.
What I did is take a long roll of paper towels, start at the bottom of the trash can, come up through the swinging lid of the trash can, and attach the paper towels by the lid. This allows me easy access to paper towels, for when the trash can was pushed under the table I could tear off one paper towel at a time without any effort whatsoever.
One of the caregivers, who is a young nursing student, said she had never seen anything like this and that it was a perfect answer for people who are having trouble getting to a paper towel in a confined position.
Amazon price: $16.99
Click here to see on amazon.com: Trash can
***
Figure 28
Bottled Water
What I do is set out 4 bottles per day on my table. My goal is to be sure to drink every one of those four bottles per day, and often I drink more than that.
It is an easy way to keep track of the amount of water you're drinking daily to help with your digestive system and urinary tract.
Amazon price: $3.25 / 24 8-oz bottles
Click here to see on amazon.com: Nestle Pure Life 8-oz bottled water
***
Figure 29
Premier Protein
You can purchase it at Walmart, Sam's, Costco.
The flavors are vanilla, chocolate, banana, peach.
I like each of the flavors.
Drinking a bottle of this between meals, or when you feel a little bit hungry before the caregiver can get your food to you, seems to be a very good plan.
Amazon price: $5.99 / 4-pack
Click here to see on amazon.com: Premier Protein drink
***
Figure 30
Kindle Tablet
Figure 31
I cannot imagine what I would have done in my current confined condition without having a Kindle tablet beside my chair.
This
device, or an iPad, allows the patient to have access to people in the
world at large through internet, to books for entertainment, and to streaming on television.
I was very persuaded of the value of such a device, and wanted so much to help older people learn to use this device, especially before they have to go to a hospital.
Therefore we wrote the following book published on Amazon.
The title of the book is "A Graphically Illustrated Kindle Fire HD 8 Guide: For Non-Computer Generations"
On Amazon the book is published in e-book, black-and-white paper book, and full-color paper book.
e-book: $2.99
black-and-white paper book: $10.99
full-color paper book: $34.99
e-book: $2.99
black-and-white paper book: $10.99
full-color paper book: $34.99
Click here to see this book on amazon.com: Graphically Illustrated Kindle Fire HD8 Guide
***
Amazon price for a Kindle tablet: $79.99
Click here to see on amazon.com: Kindle Fire HD 8 Tablet
***
Figure 32
Kindle Tablet Stand
Figure 33
These little light-weight plastic stands are wonderful!
They will hold an 8" tablet or a 10" tablet in both horizontal and vertical positions.
And they are so inexpensive you can afford to purchase multiple stands.
Amazon price: $5.98
They will hold an 8" tablet or a 10" tablet in both horizontal and vertical positions.
And they are so inexpensive you can afford to purchase multiple stands.
Amazon price: $5.98
Click here to see on amazon.com: Adjustable stand
***
Figure 34
Small Bags
We took kitchen cup holders and put them under the table and hung bags on these cup holders.
It was a very inexpensive way to deal with what could have been serious conflicts.
Amazon price: $9.99
Click here to see on amazon.com: Colored canvas bags
***
(Texas decal not included ... )
Figure 36
We used small-size garbage bags to line the inside of the porta-potty.
That way, the caregiver does not have to touch anything in order to care for the issue.
The caregiver simply takes a tie string which is included in the garbage bag, ties the top of the garbage bag, puts it into another garbage bag, and takes it to the dumpster.
***
I have a very strong sensitivity to odors. Therefore, we have to find for me things that do not cause me to be nauseous.
These baby wipes were very good for me.
Certainly I use them as a substitute way to clean my hands before meals, to even use with the porta-potty, and to do touch-up hair washing and body washing.
I just take the baby wipe and scrub my scalp. It seems to solve the problem temporarily for me. I know they make dry shampoo and I have a bottle of dry shampoo. But, so far, I'm starting the fifth week of this temporary confinement and have not used the dry shampoo yet.
I have found the body wash to be so completely satisfactory for this temporary problem.
Figure 40
I keep a bottle of the MiraLax mixture in one of the empty water bottles.
I put an X on the top of the bottle.
When I feel myself becoming slightly constipated, I reach over and get that X bottle, and drink approximately one quarter of the contents. Usually within an hour or two I don't have a problem.
It is extremely gentle acting. I would not want to be without it.
Even after I recover I expect to always have an X bottle nearby.
*****
Prices of ramps vary by material, length, etc.
*****
My 87-year old neighbor lived in a two-story house, with all bedrooms on the second level. He needed help getting up and down the stairs, and found a stair lift worked well for him.
*****
*****
Dulcolax stool softener
Figure 35
Porta-Potty
Amazon price: $34.99
Click here to see on amazon.com: Porta-potty
Figure 36
That way, the caregiver does not have to touch anything in order to care for the issue.
The caregiver simply takes a tie string which is included in the garbage bag, ties the top of the garbage bag, puts it into another garbage bag, and takes it to the dumpster.
***
Amazon price: $9.97 / 2 boxes
Figure 37
Small (4 gallon) Garbage Bags
We use these bags as liners for the porta-potty.
Amazon price: $9.97 / 2 boxes
Click here to see on amazon.com: Small garbage bags
***
Figure 38
Wipes
These baby wipes were very good for me.
Certainly I use them as a substitute way to clean my hands before meals, to even use with the porta-potty, and to do touch-up hair washing and body washing.
I just take the baby wipe and scrub my scalp. It seems to solve the problem temporarily for me. I know they make dry shampoo and I have a bottle of dry shampoo. But, so far, I'm starting the fifth week of this temporary confinement and have not used the dry shampoo yet.
I have found the body wash to be so completely satisfactory for this temporary problem.
Amazon price: $9.47 / 5 packs
Click here to see on amazon.com: Huggies Natural Care Wipes
***
Figure 39
MiraLax
Amazon price: $9.48
Click here to see on amazon.com: MiraLax
Figure 40
Mixture of MiraLax in water
I keep a bottle of the MiraLax mixture in one of the empty water bottles.
I put an X on the top of the bottle.
When I feel myself becoming slightly constipated, I reach over and get that X bottle, and drink approximately one quarter of the contents. Usually within an hour or two I don't have a problem.
It is extremely gentle acting. I would not want to be without it.
Even after I recover I expect to always have an X bottle nearby.
***
Figure 41
Roll-on pain relief gel
This roll-on pain reliever has many different product names.
I have purchased it at Walmart under the names Freeze It, Max It, and other names.
Regardless of the name, I find the effectiveness to be the same.
I use it for aches and pains and, amazingly, it also helps if you have a rash or itching.
A few months ago I was using WD-40 on a squeaking chair in a confined room. That night I encountered severe itching all over my body.
I didn't know what to do.
I didn't know what to do.
Then I remembered this roll-on pain relief substance.
I got the bottle and rolled it on my body at the places where the itching was worse.
In approximately five minutes there was no more itching.
In approximately five minutes there was no more itching.
I do not hesitate to use this on my body at times when there is severe itching.
Amazon price: $10.07
Click here to see on amazon.com: Roll-on pain relief gel
***
Figure 42
Seat Cushion
It is very effective to put this seat cushion on the chairlift with a sheet covering the entire upholstery.
I found the upholstery was irritating my back and causing a red rash.
I put this seat cushion on the seat of the chairlift, and I put a cushion at the place where my back touches the chairlift.
I covered all of this with a sheet.
Amazon price: $39.99
I found the upholstery was irritating my back and causing a red rash.
I put this seat cushion on the seat of the chairlift, and I put a cushion at the place where my back touches the chairlift.
I covered all of this with a sheet.
Amazon price: $39.99
Click here to see on amazon.com: Seat cushion
***
*****
*****
Amazon price: $50 - $71
*****
Figure 43
House dress
Inexpensive house dresses can be made into hospital gowns. (See chapter 1)
National price: $13 - $16
Click here to see on shopnational.com: house dress
*****
Figure ??
Call Button
As I was preparing to leave the rehab center after 2-1/2
months, I knew I needed a call button for my home environment. I needed a simple way to reach the home care
giver. We found an item on amazon that
was perfect. It allows me to wear the
call button around my neck. It is very
light-weight and comfortable. I can
press the button and reach the areas where the caregiver lives. It has 2 receivers, one which she placed in the kitchen, and the
other which was placed upstairs where she sleeps.
I feel totally secure in getting help any
time of the day or night.
Amazon price: $40
Click here to see on amazon.com: call button
Please note: If you live alone, a medical alert system allows you to get help when needed, even though no one else is in the house with you. Just press a button on a pendant around your neck or wrist and a monitoring company is alerted to send help for you.
There are many medical alert systems. Here is one a neighbor used and it worked well for him: medical alert system
*****
Figure ??
Mattress Pad
Hospital beds are sometimes very uncomfortable. One of the physical therapists recommended to
me a new mattress pad with straps at the 4 corners. We found one through amazon that is like a
feather bed. It is reasonably priced and
turned out to be very comfortable.
Here is a picture of the mattress pad.
Amazon price: $50 - $71
Click here to see on amazon.com: mattress pad
*****
Figure ??
Hospital Bed
Hospital beds can be purchased or rented from medical supply companies. For one that was fully motorized and adjustable, we found the purchase price to
be around $1000. The rental price per
month was around $200. Usually you can
get quick service to have the bed setup.
*****
Figure ??
Accessibility Ramp
When I moved home I found a serious problem. I couldn’t get into the house. The step getting me into the house at the
garage area was approximately 8 inches tall.
The step at the front door was approximately 7 inches tall. I could not negotiate either with a
walker. When I tried I was
terrified!
We found the best solution
for me was to install a metal ramp in the garage.
We found a company that handles all types of mobility aids … Accessible Systems.
Prices of ramps vary by material, length, etc.
Mine cost $2100
Other possible solutions considered were to install a lift platform,
which is motorized, to negotiate the step, or re-building the steps so there would be more, less-steep steps that would be wide enough for a walker to fit on each step.
For one customer this company even designed designed a lift to take an old, blind dog up and down stairs!
We found it very helpful to speak to have one of the consultants come look at our home and suggest solutions that would work for my needs.
*****
Figure ??
Stair lift
My 87-year old neighbor lived in a two-story house, with all bedrooms on the second level. He needed help getting up and down the stairs, and found a stair lift worked well for him.
Prices vary by brand, features, and whether stairs are straight.
My neighbor's lift for straight stairs cost $3000
My neighbor's lift for straight stairs cost $3000
Click here to see on accessiblemed.com: stair lift
*****
Figure ??
Toilet safety rails
Toilet safety rails are a great help in getting up from the commode. The rails we installed are hardly noticeable when installed. When the physical therapist first looked at the bathroom, she didn't see the rails on the toilet and had to take a second look to see them.
Amazon price: $24
Click here to see on amazon.com: toilet safety rails
*****
Figure ???
Dulcolax stool softener
After my surgery, I had to take prescription pain medicine. Apparently, the pain medicine caused great
constipation. Fortunately, one of the
nurses told me to get an over-the-counter medicine called Dulcolax Stool
Softener and to take it every time I took one of the pain pills. I began doing that and it worked. The constipation never came back as a result of the pain
medicine. Sometimes I wouldn’t even know I had a bowel movement it was so
easy.
This item might be of help to you. You can check with your physician or nurse
practitioner.
Amazon price: $11
Click here to see on amazon.com: stool softener
*****
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Figure ??
Stamina In-Motion Elliptical Trainer
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Amazon price: $150
Click here to see on amazon.com: exercise machine
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