Assistive devices – making your life easier
Sandy Morse
The statistics are staggering: one in five Americans (about 53 million of us) has a disability and of those, about six million people use a cane or walker and two million use a wheelchair. It’s very probable that you or someone you know may need some kind of Assistive Device. Senior Village wants you to be as mobile as possible, thus we’ll focus on mobility devices and hope this information is helpful.
The official definition of an Assisted Device is “any device that helps you do something you might not otherwise be able to do.” Most of us are familiar with wheelchairs, scooters, walkers, canes, crutches and other devices which are mostly covered by insurance with a doctor’s order. In addition, here are several innovative and creative devices that you may not be aware of, that can make everyday activities easier:
* Car cane portable handles to help getting in and out of cars. This device attaches to the inside door frame of your car allowing you to hold onto it for entering/exiting to give you leverage to lift yourself up.
* Pull-Me-Up rings to help get up from a seated position. You hold on to the ring and another person can help lift you from your chair. No more shoulder grasping, arm pulling or hand squeezing when trying to get up out of your chair. It’s portable so you can take it with you for help out of the car or up from chairs, benches, church pews and more.
* Auto Swivel Seats to ease getting in and out of a car. With this seat, you can easily turn your body to either swivel and face the front of the car when entering or swivel and face the door to exit.
* Convertible Canes that become a stool, first to provide stability and then becomes a place to rest. The seat and legs fold up onto the pole of the cane. This device is very handy for taking any place where you might need to sit and wait or sit and watch an event.
* Leg Lifter Straps to help with limited mobility, arthritis or after surgery limitations. Slip the strap under the ball of your foot and lift up on the strap to raise your leg.
There are countless other devices to assist with back zippers, putting on socks, turning the door knob or key, maneuvering eating utensils, holding a pen and other everyday activities that have become more difficult. The good news is anyone can purchase these items, especially via the internet and through such sites as Amazon. If you need further information about these or other items, just call Senior Village at 314-1042 and we’ll do our best to point you in the right direction. Senior Village’s mission is to help you live independently and improve your quality of life. We welcome new members.