A recent article in the Wilmington, Delaware News Journal suggested the following ways to prevent falls.
Be sure all carpets and area rugs have skid-proof backing or are tacked to the floor.
Use non-skid mats or rugs on the floor near the stove and sink.
Keep floors free of clutter.
Remove all loose wires, cords and throw rugs.
Do not use wax on bare floors.
Have someone clean up spills as soon as possible.
Keep stairwells well lit, with light switches at the top and bottom.
Mark the top and bottom steps with bright tape.
Install sturdy handrails on both sides of stairwell.
Install grab bars on the bathroom walls beside the tub, shower and toilet.
Use a non-skid rubber mat in the shower or tub.
If you are unsteady on your feet, you may want to use a plastic chair with a back and non-skid legs in the shower or tub and use a hand-held shower head to bathe.
Place light switches within reach of your bed and a night light between the bedroom and bathroom.
Keep a flashlight with fresh batteries beside your bed.
Cover porch steps with gritty, weatherproof paint.
Install handrails on both sides of porch steps.
Keep furniture in its usual place.
Place items you use most often within easy reach. This keeps you from doing a lot of bending and stooping.
Use assistive devices to help avoid strain or injury. For example, use a long-handled grasping device to pick up items without bending or reaching. Use a pushcart to move heavy or hot items from the stove or countertop to the table.
If you must use a stepstool, use a sturdy one with a handrail and wide steps.
If you live alone, you should consider wearing a personal emergency response system (PERS). Also, consider buying a portable telephone to take from room to room so you can call for help immediately if you fall.
Don't get up too quickly after eating, sitting or lying flat.
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about the side effects of drugs you take. Some can make you dizzy or drowsy.
If you are unsteady on your feet, use a cane or walker, even if you are going only a short dis-tance.
Alisa Brownlee, ATP, CAPS blog offers recent articles and web information on ALS, assistive technology--augmentative alternative communication (AAC), computer access, and other electronic devices that can impact and improve the quality of life for people with ALS. Email--abrownlee@alsa-national.org. Any views or opinions presented on this blog are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the ALS Association.
Monday, January 7, 2013
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Glove Keyboard Enables Use of Devices with One Hand
From: Embedded Technology
Insider - 11/26/2012
Computer engineering students at The University of
Alabama in Huntsville have designed a tool that could revolutionize new ways of
using electronic devices with just one hand. It's called a Gauntlet Keyboard, a
glove device that functions as a wireless keyboard. Instead of tapping keys on
a keyboard, the user simply touches their thumb to points on their fingers
assigned a letter or other keyboard function. Conductive thread carries the
commands to a matchbox-sized Printed Circuit Board (PCB) affixed to the back of
the glove.
The PCB transmits it via Bluetooth, whether it's a
computer, a mobile phone, music synthesizer, video game, or military device.
Think of the Gauntlet as a touch screen that works by tapping your fingers to
your thumb on a gloved hand.
Read the entire article at:
Links:
UAHuntsville students hope glove keyboard will
revolutionize use of devices with one hand http://www.uah.edu/news/research/4646-uahuntsville-students-hope-glove-keyboard-will-revolutionize-use-of-devices-with-one-hand
Gauntlet Keyboard
Gauntlet Keyboard video (0:33)
Tobii REX brings Gaze eye-tracking tech to any Windows 8 machine
Breakthrough: Robotic limbs moved by the mind
From: 60 Minutes - 12/30/2012
By: Scott Pelley
Humans can now move robotic limbs using only their
thoughts and, in some cases, even get sensory feedback from their robotic
hands.
Read the entire article at:
View the video (13:03) at:
Video links:
Scott Pelley, Meet "Robo Sally" (video 3:14) http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504803_162-57560535-10391709/scott-pelley-meet-robo-sally/
An arm called "Hector" (video 1:57)
Firing a single neuron (video 0:33)
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Non-chew chicken recipe for a person w/ ALS
The Slick Chick
1
can cream of mushroom soup
1
can cream of chicken soup
½
cup milk
½
tsp. onion powder
4
cups rice, cooked
3
cups chicken, finely chopped in blender
1
cup cheddar cheese, grated
2
tablespoons pimento, finely chopped
Combine
soups and milk in large saucepan,
mixing
well, while heating and stirring
constantly.
When heated add all
remaining
ingredients and heat. Pour
into
a lightly greased 2 quart casserole.
Bake
at 375° for 30 minutes. Makes 6
servings. Enjoy!
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Toilet Hygiene and the Use of Bidets for ppl w/ ALS/MND
ALS is a debilitating
disease that can cause weakness throughout the body, impairing function with
all day to day tasks. In my seven years
of working at the ALS clinic as an Occupational Therapist, most people with ALS
(PALS) are more than willing to discuss difficulties they are having with
dressing, walking, opening containers, opening doors, hand writing and a host
of other daily activities.
Authors: Scott Rushanan, MS, OTR/L and Michelle Lewis, DPT, PT
The activity of going to the bathroom is rarely discussed,
as most of us were taught from a young age that this is a basic human function
that should be kept private. PALS rarely
(unless prompted) discuss activities involved with going to the bathroom
especially in terms of being able to manage their clothing and being able to
perform toileting hygiene and cleaning.
In most cases this is probably an accurate and acceptable social norm;
however what do you do if your hand and arm strength is greatly diminished? An activity that was once a basic human
function performed on a daily basis can turn into an extremely difficult
task. The consequences of this task not
being performed effectively and correctly can lead to embarrassment and
needlessly exaggerate functional deficits associated with ALS. Even if a PALS has help with toileting
hygiene, he or she may feel uncomfortable with this loss of independence.
The bidet is a good solution for those PALS with loss of
hand and arm function, who need assistance with toilet hygiene. Bidets come in many different forms and at
many different price points. I have not
heard any patient regret their decision to use a bidet at home to increase
independence with toileting. Some patients have been extremely happy with
regaining a level of independence with such a private activity of daily
living.
Most bidets are sold as part of a toilet seat. This bidet/toilet seat will be installed in
place of your current toilet seat.
Bidets usually cannot be used in conjunction with a 3 in 1 commode or
raised toilet seat. If you are having
difficulty standing up from the toilet, you may want to install a new ADA
compliant toilet. The ADA (Americans
with Disability Act) height recommendation for toilets is 17 to 19 inches
(floor to seat). Depending on your
ability to use your arms, you may also want to install a grab bar along one or both
sides of the toilet at 33 to 36 inches high.
This can help most PALS with sit to stand toilet transfers and prolong
independence with toileting. Doing this
can be helpful even if you need assistance from a caregiver with getting onto
and up from a toilet.
Most of the bidets I recommend do not come from a medical
supply store and are not necessarily marketed exclusively to people who have
disabilities. For instance, the brand
Toto is a Japanese manufacturer of toilets that are marketed as luxury
items. I believe that products made by
these types of companies have a higher level of quality and are actually less
expensive than products exclusively made for people with disabilities.
Bidets also have different functions that can be
beneficial. One of the major functions
I would look for when purchasing a bidet is hands free use. If you already have limited hand function,
you don’t want to have to operate buttons or a remote control to use your
bidet. This defeats the purpose of hands
free toilet hygiene. There are many
bidet options that come with sensors that activate the bidet system through
shifting your weight on the toilet seat.
This ensures hands free hygiene and makes it so the bidet system cannot accidently
be activated otherwise.
Another function I would look for when purchasing a bidet is
a drying mechanism that is also operated in a hands free function. A bidet uses sprayed water to clean a person
so you are going to need to be dried after using it. Many bidets come with a blow dryer function
to meet this need.
There are other functions that you may or may not find
helpful. There are automatic toilet lid
openers, self cleaning nozzles, heated seats, and massage functions. Outside of the automatic seat, the other
functions may or may not be needed.
After reading this article, if you have any questions you
can contact me at scott.rushanan@uphs.upenn.edu I hope you found this article helpful. I’ve attached some links to company websites
that sell types of bidet systems discussed in this article.
http://www.totousa.com/Washlet/WashletS400.aspx
Authors: Scott Rushanan, MS, OTR/L and Michelle Lewis, DPT, PT
New Video Depicts How Existing Technologies Can Facilitate Coordinated Care and Aging in Place
(Washington)—A new video from the LeadingAge Center for Aging Services
Technologies (CAST) depicts how affordable technologies that are currently
available can be integrated to allow seniors and people with disabilities to
receive better-coordinated health care and to remain independent longer. The
video will be premiered at the Institute of Medicine’s Assistive
Technologies, Aging, and Disability workshop on December 19, 2012.
The story follows a character named Alma from home to
hospital to rehabilitation and back home again. Throughout her experience of
having and recovering from a stroke, Alma and her caregivers use a personal
health tablet, medication dispenser, electronic health records, home
monitoring, telehealth, engagement technologies and assistive technologies, in
addition to a personal emergency response system with automatic fall detection,
to plan her care, communicate with each other and allow her to remain safely at
home with support.
“Our 2005 video painted a picture of what technology might
do if created in service of aging, long-term care and post-acute care,” said
LeadingAge president & CEO Larry Minnix. “This video portrays a vision we
could implement today with the commitment of providers, payers and consumers.”
All of the technologies portrayed in the video are currently
available for purchase and deployment. However, there are few communities or
care networks that deploy these technologies in a coordinated way across care
settings.
“Our goal with this video is to engage long-term care
organizations in leading their communities to create integrated care networks
that leverage technology to create efficiencies and improve quality of care and
quality of life,” said Majd Alwan, PhD, LeadingAge senior vice president for
technology and executive director of CAST. “We hope that hospitals, physicians,
insurance companies, long-term post acute care organizations and consumers will
see this vision and realize it is well within their ability to achieve it.”
CAST’s previous vision video about technology and aging, “Imagine – The
Future of Aging” was sent to more than 60,000 health care providers and has
been used by technology companies and long-term care organizations to catalyze
technology development and pilot testing.
The new video is available through the following options:
·
The full version is available for viewing and
embedding at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ty83xXOt3dY
·
A 2-minute condensed version of the video is
available for viewing and embedding at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BYvyOSHmVQ
·
When the embargo is lifted on December 19th,
the video will be available for viewing, embedding and downloading at: www.leadingage.org/high-tech
·
The video may be used without permission, but
users should credit LeadingAge CAST and provide viewers with a link to the CAST
website, www.leadingage.org/cast.aspx.
The video was filmed on-location at Asbury Methodist Village
in Gaithersburg, MD.
About CAST
The LeadingAge Center for Aging Services Technologies (CAST)
is leading the charge to expedite the development, evaluation and adoption of
emerging technologies that can improve the aging experience. CAST has become an
international coalition of more than 400 technology companies, aging services
organizations, research universities, and government representatives.
Emily Wilson | Communications Associate | LeadingAge | 2519 Connecticut Ave, NW, Washington, DC 20008 | P 202-508-9492 | LeadingAge.org
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