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Living with a disability can cause loneliness. It is nice to find a place where you can talk and read about other people in similar situations. There is a community of individuals with disabilities, looking to connect with others. Here are a few accessible online resources that can be helpful and assist in bringing this community together.

Popular Accessible Online Resources

Assistive Technology 

The Assistive technology website aims to give people with news and resources about new developments in technology to aid people living with a disability. The website brings you the latest news about new apps, electronic devices, and prototypes of accessibility equipment. 

Disabled World 

Disabled World shares information from world governments, educational institutions, disabilities, and organizations. It contains a range of topics. From medical research to tips on maintaining good health while living with a disability, the website can be a great resource to learn more about the disability community.

Uncomfortable Revolution 

This website started in Ireland. It is a favorite among individuals with disabilities because of its humor. Their website description page reads as follows, “Living with chronic illness and disability means having some pretty awkward conversations. Uncomfortable Revolution is the place to share and vent those uncomfortable moments.”  Their tagline is the best, “Let’s get awkward together!”  It is a light-hearted and fun website, perfect for when you are having a no-good, unbelievably difficult day. 

Make Your Home Accessible

These are just a few of the top accessible online resources that help guide, entertain, and build a community for individuals with disabilities. At Next Day Access, we provide resources to help you bring back your independence and confidence. Contact us to schedule a free inspection of your home. Our evaluations will tell us what your home needs to better accommodate your lifestyle. Next Day Access is here to help your “Whole home and your Whole life.” 

As you get older, you become more susceptible to getting pneumonia. According to the US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, studies show that people aged 65-69 get pneumonia at a rate of 18.2 people per 1,000 people. And in the age group of 85 years and older, cases increase to 52.3 people per 1,000 people. Developing pneumonia can be severe for seniors, especially if they have any other underlying conditions. Maintaining healthy habits is critical as they continue independent living, and here are some facts about pneumonia.

Common Pneumonia Symptoms

Some of the most common symptoms and signs of pneumonia include:

• Shortness of breath
• Fever
• Chest pain while coughing or breathing normally
• Chills
• Fatigue
• Coughing with phlegm

These symptoms may be more severe in some seniors than others, so it’s important to prioritize senior care and take all the precautions necessary to keep them safe. As a caregiver, monitor these symptoms very closely and if they begin acting out of the ordinary, seek medical assistance as soon as possible.

Risk Facts About Pneumonia

Age is a risk factor for getting pneumonia. People who have weak immune systems are also more susceptible to getting pneumonia since their bodies aren’t strong enough to fight off the infection. And people with existing respiratory issues or who have experienced viral infections in the past have a higher risk of getting pneumonia. If your elderly loved one is considered high-risk for developing pneumonia, help them incorporate healthy habits to boost their immune system as much as possible so their body can fight off the infection.

Preventing And Treating Pneumonia

As with any infection or disease, prevention is not always possible; however, there are several things you can do to lower the chances of getting pneumonia. Your doctor may recommend getting the pneumococcal vaccine and the flu shot. But some other ways are practicing healthy habits like eating balanced meals, staying physically active, and washing hands thoroughly.

As far as treatment goes, it’s recommended to visit a doctor when you start showing signs. Since there are different types of pneumonia, the doctor needs to examine you to determine the best treatment. The goal is to stop the infection before any major complications arise, and you can often do that from the comfort of your home rather than in a hospital.

Developing pneumonia can be devastating for seniors. Staying physically active is a great way to boost your immune system, and Next Day Access can help. Don’t hesitate to contact us to learn about our mobility products that can help your elderly loved one move around with ease.

Olympic Day was made back in 1948 and designed to recognize and rebirth of the Olympics. The Olympic Games first began in 1896, and changed to Olympic Day to strive for inclusivity. In the last couple of years, the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee changed the name of Olympic Day to Olympic and Paralympic Day to acknowledge the importance and shine a light on the Paralympics. It has been a long time coming, and the expectation is this is just the beginning of how the Olympics and Paralympics will intersect.

How The Olympics And Paralympics Intersect

Just because an athlete competes in a wheelchair doesn’t mean they are less of an athlete than someone who doesn’t. The Paralympics have slowly begun intersecting with the Olympics since 1960 when Rome hosted the Paralympics and the Olympics in the same year and was the first city to do so. Although the Paralympics and the Olympics are two different entities, they have intersected in many ways throughout the years and will continue to become even closer.

U.S. Paralympians And Olympians Often Train Together

Having a physical disability hasn’t stopped many Paralympic athletes from training with other Olympic athletes. Two of the most notable and decorated Paralympic and Olympic athletes, Michael Phelps and Jessica Long, have trained together in the past. The respect these athletes have for one another is strong behind the scenes, and they look past a physical disability and focus on training to win Olympic and Paralympic medals. In the cases of Phelps and Long, they have combined to win a total of 51 medals from their respective events.

The Olympics And Paralympics Are More Inclusive Than Ever Before

The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee have taken strides to make both entities inclusive of one another. Instead of feeling like two separate entities, they are becoming closer to identifying as one “Team USA.” The Committee has decided to increase the Paralympic payouts for winning medals significantly, starting with the Tokyo Games this year. Paralympians will now receive the same prize money as Olympians for the medals they receive.

Television coverage of the Paralympic Games is expected to increase this year and going forward. It may be worth your time to watch these amazing athletes compete at high levels despite the physical disability they have to overcome. Our team at Next Day Access will be tuned in, so contact us if you’d like to talk Olympics and Paralympics with us.

The Paralympic Games used to be one of the top events that not many people knew about or watched. Now it has evolved into a can’t-miss event that features thousands of athletes with a physical disability across the world. It seems like there are always new Paralympic athletes who steal the spotlight at every event. We’ve taken a look at some of the most impressive athletes to watch out for this summer at the Paralympic Games.

Oksana Masters

Oksana Masters is a Ukrainian-American Paralympic who has had great success and continues to strive for even more. In her previous Paralympic Games, she won two gold medals and five overall. She has medaled in Nordic skiing and rowing and is now looking to medal in cycling. Her adaptability after recovering from a fractured elbow in her previous games shows how resilient she is and should be a fun athlete to watch this year.

David Brown

David Brown hasn’t let his blindness hinder his ability to compete at the highest levels. He previously won the 100m race in the Rio Paralympic Games and has two other 100m titles. He broke 11 seconds in the race and is the first blind athlete to do so. Look for Brown to make some more noise in the Summer Paralympic Games this year.

Allysa Seely

Allysa Seely made her triathlon debut in the Rio Paralympic Games in 2016. She has since medaled in the world championships from 2017-2019. Her impressive track record leaves no doubt that she will be a name to watch this year.

Chuck Aoki

Wheelchair rugby is one of the most popular events at the Paralympic Games, and Chuck Aoki is the star for the United States. Formerly a wheelchair basketball athlete, Aoki has focused on wheelchair rugby for the past 15 years and is seeking his first gold medal in the event. He has previously won the bronze and silver in the event in 2012 and 2016, respectively, and he appears primed to take the next step forward this year.

Jessica Long

Jessica Long has won a total of 23 Paralympic medals in her decorated career and is constantly looking for ways to improve. After making her debut at age 12 in 2004, she has consistently won world titles and Paralympic medals. She expressed disappointment following the Rio Games in 2016 after winning six total medals, so expect some impressive performances from Long this year in Tokyo.

It’s hard to fully appreciate the talent Paralympic athletes have until you watch them compete at the highest levels. We will be tuned in at Next Day Access, so contact us if you want to talk about some of the most impressive Paralympic athletes you see this year.

The year 1948 signifies the first year when the Paralympic Games first took form. But the Games didn’t technically become official until 1960;  it was held in Rome and featured roughly 400 Paralympic athletes with a physical disability. Since then, the Paralympic Games have grown to include more than 4,000 athletes spanning over 170 countries. Here are some intriguing facts about the Paralympic Games and how they have evolved.

Some Athletes Compete In Olympic And Paralympic Games

While the Paralympic Games did not exist until a century ago, athletes with a mobility concern or a physical disability participated in sporting events. Notable athlete Ray Ewry participated in the Olympics from 1900-1908 and had eight gold medals despite his battle with polio. Now that the Paralympic Games are in place and designed for people with a physical disability, some athletes still participate in both. Athletes rarely participate in both Olympic and Paralympic events, but it’s possible and has happened.

Summer Paralympic Games Occur Alongside Summer Olympics

The Paralympics Games have long been an organized event, but they were clearly separate from the Olympic Games. Now the divide is a little blurrier as the Games have merged to feel like a single event. The Summer Paralympics now occur two weeks after the Summer Olympics conclude and are located at the same venue.

Miscellaneous Paralympic Games Facts

The inclusivity of the Paralympic Games with the Olympic Games has shed a tremendous amount of light on Paralympic athletes. The Paralympic Games have grown significantly and peaked in 2012 when over 4,200 athletes represented 164 countries and participated in 20 different sports.

To fully appreciate the evolution of the Paralympic Games, you have to look back to 1948, which was the introduction of the first wheelchair sport. That first competitive event led to the official Paralympic Games just 12 years later and has now blossomed into a worldwide competition that millions of people watch.

Our team at Next Day Access finds the Paralympic athletes to be some of the most impressive in the world. We are looking forward to watching the Paralympic Games this summer and encourage you to do the same. For more facts or to learn more about the Paralympic Games in general, contact us and we would enjoy the discussion with you.

In anticipation of the Summer Paralympic Games, we wanted to shine some light on a few of the adopted sports the athletes participate in. As you watch some of these events, take special note of how impressively the athletes adapt to their physical disability and have become the top athletes in the world at what they do. The adaptability is as impressive as the level of the competition itself, and here are some of the adapted sports to pay attention to this year.

Wheelchair Basketball

Basketball is a popular sport globally, and wheelchair basketball is no different. It’s widely regarded as one of the most noteworthy adapted sports that Paralympics participate in. The Paralympic athletes have gone from having to adapt using a wheelchair to moving around other athletes in a competitive game of basketball. Prepare to be amazed while watching these impressive athletes compete.

Cycling

The Paralympic Games have included cycling for more than 30 years and have evolved since then. The cycling competition classes include hand bikes, tricycles, bicycles, and tandem bikes.The athletes have an impressive skill of balance and strength to become the top cyclists in the world.

Swimming

Many of the athletes in the Paralympic Games became great swimmers because their rehabilitation process for their physical disability included swimming. The unique aspect of swimming as a Paralympic event is its inclusion of people with various disabilities other than people with a physical disability. There are classifications for people with intellectual disabilities, visual disabilities, and more to provide much more diversity and inclusion.

Tennis

Adapted tennis could be the most impressive Paralympic event you may watch. It’s very similar to tennis played at the Olympic Games, except the ball can bounce twice instead of once. Paralympic athletes have to have incredible strength and flexibility, and the equipment they use is equally as important. The personalized tennis wheelchairs fit the athlete’s skills to help them to move forward, backward, and make turns with ease.

How the Paralympic athletes perform at such high levels is impressive. Some of the other popular Summer Paralympic events include table tennis, wheelchair rugby, archery, rowing, powerlifting, fencing, and many more. Whether you are interested in a particular sport or not, it’s worth your time to tune in to different events and see the high level of competition in each one. Our team at Next Day Access will be watching, so contact us if you want to talk about some of the events or specific athletes.

The Olympic Games always get the recognition it deserves for both the Summer and Winter Games. Until recently, the general population has overlooked the Paralympic Games. Now, as efforts have been made to make the Olympics and Paralympics more inclusive, the Paralympic Games are more popular than ever before. Watching people adapt to their physical disability and compete with other high-level athletes is something anyone can appreciate. We’ve taken a look at how the Paralympic Games have evolved over the years.

When The First Summer And Winter Paralympics Were Held

The Paralympics have been present in some form since 1948. However, it wasn’t until 1960 that the Paralympic Games became official. It was held in Rome and featured roughly 400 athletes, all with a physical disability. The Games consisted of swimming, table tennis, archery, javelin, basketball, fencing, shot put, and more. The summer Paralympic Games were designed for people who had a physical disability that caused them to be in a wheelchair.

Summer Paralympic sports were the sole organized events until 1976, which is when the first Winter Paralympic Games were held in Sweden. In these Games, nearly 200 athletes participated in sports like ice sled racing and nordic and alpine skiing. Not all of these athletes were confined to a wheelchair, but they had other disabilities to adapt to.

Growth Of The Paralympics

The modern Paralympic era began in 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. The first time the Winter Paralympics were held in an Olympic venue was in 1992 in France. The Paralympics are now held at the same venue as the Olympic Games and begin two weeks after the Olympic Games end. The 1998 Winter Games in Japan featured nearly 600 athletes. The 2000 Summer Games in Australia featured roughly 3,800 athletes from 122 countries. The growth of the Paralympic Games has been significant over the years and continues to grow.

Evolution Of Adaptive Sports Equipment

To say Paralympic athletes have adaptability qualities is an understatement. From overcoming their physical disability to altering their equipment, these athletes have evolved significantly. Wheelchairs used to weigh upwards of 50-pounds, which made them difficult to navigate. By removing parts and trimming others down, athletes have gotten wheelchairs down to a mere 15-pounds to give them more navigability and speed. Adaptive sports equipment has come a long way in recent years for both summer and winter events.

The Summer Paralympic Games are right around the corner and Next Day Access is ready to watch the great athletes compete. To learn more about the Paralympic Games, feel free to contact us.

There’s usually a good reason for sending an aging parent to the nursing home. Most of the time, the decision is to ensure they get the appropriate care needed throughout the day. However, there might also come a time when you want to take your loved one out of the nursing home. It’s no secret that people live more comfortably at home, so there are plenty of benefits to aging in place. But when you move them from a nursing home to the comfort of their own home, consider these thoughts and tips.

Make The Home More Accessible

Home accessibility is the number one factor to think about before your senior parent arrives home. If they have stairs in the home, installing a stair lift should be one of the first things you do. And depending on the layout of the entrance of the home, a wheelchair ramp could be valuable. Your senior loved one likely received assistance moving around, including in the bathroom. Since there might not be someone there to help them with those tasks, installing grab bars in various locations can be very helpful for them and prevent falls from occurring.

Consider The Type Of Care Needed

The nursing home staff should be able to tell you the type of care they provided so you can determine the care needed at home. Make arrangements ahead of time if your aging parent needs to have someone with them 24/7 or if they can get around well enough to just need to check on them periodically. If you have siblings or other family members nearby, talk about splitting the responsibilities of caring for your senior loved one; so it doesn’t become too burdensome for any individual.

Mental Preparations To Make

Preparing to care for a loved one at home requires some mental preparations, but they are well worth it. You might still have a job, kids, and other responsibilities to take care of, and now you have to add caring for your parents to the list. The mental strain is very real, so start thinking about how your daily routine needs to change to be accommodating. The important thing is that you don’t lose focus on your own health while you’re caring for the health of others.

Next Day Access wants to help you transition your senior loved one back home. We can quickly install a wheelchair ramp to make it more convenient for them. And a stair lift can be a life-changer when it’s professionally installed. When you’re getting ready to move your aging parent back home from the nursing home, contact us, and we would be happy to provide you with a free home accessibility assessment.

People with disabilities have more resources than ever before to help them navigate their homes and other places. With power wheelchairs and mobility scooters, disabled people can navigate grocery stores, shopping centers, and similar places much easier than several years ago. This means businesses need to take the necessary steps to make their establishments wheelchair accessible. Becoming ADA compliant is necessary today, and small businesses should do everything they can to be compliant. Resources and funding are often problematic, so we’ve discussed some resources and tips to help you.

Cost Considerations Of Becoming ADA Compliant

Some small business owners think becoming ADA compliant will put them out of business because the cost is so high. However, when you break down the costs and what is needed to become ADA compliant, it might not be as expensive as you think. For example, you might only need to install a wheelchair ramp on the exterior of your building and a few grab bars in the restrooms. Creating more open space for wheelchairs is also a common adjustment small business owners have to make. While every business is different, chances are you will be looking at a few hundred to a few thousands of dollars to become ADA compliant rather than the tens of thousands of dollars that many people think.

Available ADA Grants

Several ADA grants are available to businesses to help them become ADA compliant. The goal of the grants is to ensure people with disabilities have access to public buildings and facilities like everyone else does. It’s worth a small business owner’s time to pursue these grants to see which ones they qualify for and apply accordingly.

Tax Advantages To Consider

Tax credits and deductions are available to business owners who make their buildings wheelchair accessible. Small business owners can take advantage of up to a $5,000 tax credit to help offset the expenses of installing a wheelchair ramp, widening doorways, or other modifications. A tax deduction of up to $15,000 each year is also a benefit of being ADA compliant. Work with your tax professional to determine whether you qualify for tax credits or deductions, and it can help you offset the expenses of being ADA compliant significantly.

Next Day Access works with businesses large and small to help them become ADA compliant. We believe people of all abilities should be able to access public facilities, and we help make it possible. Whether you need a wheelchair ramp, grab bars, stair lifts, or anything else to make your establishment more accessible, contact us today to schedule a free evaluation.