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Serving as a caregiver for a loved one from a long distance is not easy. Despite the distance, you want to ensure your loved one receives the best care. Here is some advice on how to ensure your loved one is receiving quality care despite the distance.

Get as much information as possible.

Experienced caregivers encourage you to learn as much as you can about your friend or family member’s diagnosis, the medicine they need, and the available resources. This information can aid you in understanding what they are dealing with, their prognosis, anticipating the length of the illness, preventing any crisis, and assisting in their healthcare management. Knowing all their healthcare needs will make talking to their doctor easier. Written permission to receive your loved one’s medical and financial information is vital.

Once gathered, keep all the information organized in an online spreadsheet or folder. The information you will need includes all the essential information about medical care, contact numbers, social services, and their financial situation. Make sure to keep the information up to date and share copies with other trusted caregivers.

Set time aside to visit your loved one.

While you are in town, use this time wisely to gather any needed documents or things your loved one may need. It is a good idea to make a list of what they need before you come to town. For example, does your loved one need new winter clothes? Is their television on the fritz? Create an agenda for your trip and a list of what you need to bring. Remember your loved one likely misses you and would like to spend time with you when you are in town. You can take them to a worship service, play a game of cards, or watch a movie. Overall, just spending quality time together is sure to delight and revive your loved one.

Stay in touch with caregivers and doctors.

The needs of aging parents vary depending on their mobility levels. Once you have an established caregiver, stay in touch with them. You should also keep in touch with your loved one’s doctor. Make it clear to the doctor you would like a report after every doctor’s visit. You can also request occasional teleconferences with your loved one’s healthcare team. Your loved one can also be assigned a social worker who will help you stay abreast of any situations that require decisions on your part.

Make sure your loved one knows how to get in touch with you.

If your loved one is in a nursing home, make sure they have a personal line for calls. It is a good idea to have your name and phone number written in big and bold letters on their dry erase board. If your loved one is aging at home, you may consider purchasing a cell phone. Spend time teaching them how to use it and make sure they know how to reach you by either writing your number on a large board or saving it on their phone. Also, give them detailed instructions on how to find your contact information on their phone.

Find resources for your loved ones in their community.

You can find local senior centers by doing an internet search. Check with the Area Agency on Aging or the Eldercare Locator in their communities. These groups can recommend several helpful resources.

Make sure your loved one’s home is safely set up.

Whether they need a walk-in tub or a wheelchair ramp, we at Next Day Access have an assortment of mobility products to help those with accessibility concerns. We offer many different products to keep your loved ones safe and comfortable. Our goals are to help those with accessibility concerns and to give peace of mind to caregivers that their loved one’s homes are safe.

Your social life does not have to stop if you have mobility concerns. The new app Sociability makes sure anyone with accessibility concerns has a list of detailed and accurate places to enjoy. The goal of the platform is to mitigate potential issues by listing the accessibility of venues on the app.

How the Sociability App Works

An inaccessible venue limits opportunities and social engagement. When you know a venue is accessible, it instills confidence. The Sociability app makes getting detailed, accurate, and reliable venue information easy.

Users log in to the app, and a map pops up. They have the option of clicking orange arrows to show nearby places rated on the app by other users or use the search bar to type in their desired destination. Once they find the destination on the app, they can read what other users experienced when they visited the venue

Who Benefits from Sociability

Sociability is one of the only crowdsourced accessibility platforms. People with mobility and accessibility concerns built the app for themselves and others like them. The app gives accessibility information for popular and fun local shops, restaurants, cafes, bars, and more.

What Makes Sociability Special

One of the best things Sociability is you do not receive generic information about venues but instead get a detailed breakdown. For example, a popular local bar on the app serving customers for years has accessibility information from a former patron. This patron was delighted by the food and service, but they would not recommend the venue to wheelchair users during busy hours. The tightly packed and crowded aisles made maneuverability difficult in a wheelchair. Reviews like this can help you decide whether to visit a venue or not.

Why Sociability is Important

Sociability also aims to help businesses understand the barriers in their business that may prevent people with disabilities from visiting. The hope is communities evolve to include everyone and to be accessible to everyone. Apps like this help create a level of inclusivity for patrons.

At Next Day Access, we are thankful our customers can access this app and its unique resources. We are also available to meet your accessibility needs by offering an assortment of mobility equipment. Whether you are looking for a new wheelchair, would like to rent a lift chair, or need Barres d'appui in the bathroom, we can help with all those needs and more. Nous contacter today for a free in-home assessment.

When it is time for you to have knee surgery, your doctors have probably already explained you will need to have a comfortable place to recover and the recovery will take some time. To ensure you are ready to come home to a welcoming environment, we looked for the best information to make it easier for you to focus on your health as you heal. The following eight tips come from an article published in AARP.

If you live in a two-story home, create a first floor sleep/ recovery space.

You will quickly learn that navigating stairs is difficult immediately after knee surgery, says Geoffrey Westrich, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon and a professor at Weill Cornell Medicine at Cornell University. Consider converting a downstairs space into a bedroom during your recovery time. This makeshift bedroom should have a bed, or you can sleep on a couch or recliner. Ideally, you can access your bed, bathroom, and kitchen all on the same level.

Preprare your recovery area.

If you have a comfy chair you would prefer to use, make sure it is sturdy and you can elevate your leg. In this instance, a recliner would be the most helpful. If a recliner is not available, you can use a sturdy chair and an ottoman or a footstool to prop up your leg. Place a firm cushion on the chair to help you stand up. Next Day Access offers Chaises élévatrices that lift you to a standing position and rails to hold onto as you stand.

Place any items you might need nearby. These items include your hygiene products, reading materials, remotes, glasses, chargers, trashcans, tissue, medicine, and change of clothes.

Preorder medical equipment from your doctor’s office or Next Day Access.

Next Day Access has an assortment of items to help you get to your pre-surgery condition in no time. Items include everything from Fauteuils roulants, walkers, toilet bowl extenders, grab bars and so much more. You can even discuss with Next Day Access, renting some of the items that might be out of budget.

Prepare your bathroom.

You will be much more comfortable if you have a portable showerhead attachment. The showerhead will help make bathing accessible. You will also need to use the grab bars from Next Day Access throughout the bathroom to assist you in and out of the tub and on and off the toilet.

Stock up on ice packs.

It is vital you ice your knee following surgery. The ice has been shown to reduce swelling and inflammation, eventually leading to a greater range of motion. You can use ice in Ziplock bags or frozen peas; whatever ice pack you choose will get the job done.

Clean out your refrigerator and freezer and stock it with easy to make items

The last thing you want to do after knee surgery is clean out the fridge and toss expired items. You may be on a strict diet. It is unlikely you will feel much like cooking. You can find no-fuss healthy items to place in the refrigerator that can easily be microwaved.

Declutter and deep clean the house.

Remove any trip hazards, like rugs or stacks of books. Make sure the space has plenty of room for turning or limping shortly after surgery without obstacles getting in the way.

Line up help from friends and family.

Even the most independent person can use a hand from time to time. The truth is to keep from hurting yourself worse, you need to enlist the help of other people. You can hire someone to deliver your groceries or walk your dog. However, it is a good idea to have a loved one on standby if you accidentally fall.

Remember, Next Day Access is here for you every step of the way. We will help you find exactly what you might need during your recovery, and if we don’t have it, we will find someone who does! Nous contacter today for a free in-home assessment.

Each year, the United States dedicates the month of March to Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Awareness, and the week of marzo 13- 19 is Multiple Sclerosis week. You might see orange ribbons with a butterfly attached to lapels during this time. Orange is the official color of MS awareness. When a person sees if they have Multiple Scelrosis, they undergo a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) procedure. When MS is confirmed, a butterfly shape appears on the MRI scan which is why butterflies are often assoicated with MS awareness.

What is Multiple Sclerosis?

Multiple Sclerosis is a disease of the central nervous system. Researchers believe it is an autoimmune condition, where the immune system mistakenly attacks normal tissue instead of only infected tissue. The immune system will attack the myelin sheath found in the brain. The myelin sheath protects nerve fibers in the brain, optic nerve, and spinal cord. Over time, the myelin sheath is destroyed. The destroyed sheath results in scar tissue (Sclerosis) disrupting electrical impulses between the brain and other body parts.

Unfortunately, there are no known factors that cause MS or ways to prevent it. Many people diagnosed with MS have no known risk factors

In marzo 2019, the journal Neurology estimated the number of people living with MS in the United States now reaches as high as 1 million people whereas years prior, the number was half that. Researchers, while working on a cure and treatment plans, are currently trying to figure out why there has been a significant increase in new cases.

This Year’s Awareness Theme

The theme from 2020-2022 for Multiple Sclerosis week is “Connections.” Advocacy groups have asked people diagnosed with MS to share their stories of connecting with their community, themselves, healthcare team, family, and friends after receiving the diagnosis. Once people share their stories, advocacy groups ask people to use the hashtag #MSConnections. The hope is this will spark a dialogue and bring attention to the disease and provide more funding for research.

An MS diagnosis changes ones’ life forever. Since they cannot control their nerve impulses, many people with MS have difficulty with mobility. At Accès le lendemain, we offer a wide variety of solutions to help people with mobility issues stay safe and more comfortable in their homes or on the go. Whether you need a wheelchair, handrails, walker, or more, we are here to help. Contact us today.

When making modifications to increase the accessibility of your home, it is important to consider the pivotal role good lighting plays. Proper lighting makes your home easier to navigate no matter your mobility level. For a home to be completely accessible, you will need more than just Rampes pour fauteuils roulants and Barres d'appui. You should be mindful of the range of physical abilities and challenges your loved ones must deal with and consider every aspect of the home for diverse users. If you do not make sure to install proper lighting, your loved one could suffer an injury that could have easily been avoided.

The website ieslightlogic.com gives insightful information on keeping an aesthetically pleasing home with stylish lighting. The modern lighting serves the purpose of helping rather than hindering your loved one. Here are some of the website’s best tips.

Avoid Glare from Lighting

Since wheelchair users are at a lower point in their wheelchair, they are often eye to eye with a lamp or other lighting source. It is essential you position the light at an angle where it does not go directly into their eyes. You can also buy fixtures with reduced glare.

Navigation Lights

People with disabilities have an increased need for adequate lighting due to spatial navigation difficulties or poor vision. For increased functionality in an accessible home, consider installing track lighting that runs on the ground for the length of the hallways or outdoor pathways. Using LED lighting is helpful since you can place it against walls or on the outside of pathways to help users avoid tripping. The added lighting allows everyone to see more clearly, which aids in navigation and avoiding injury.

Supplemental Lighting

You can add small round light fixtures; some even stick to walls, around door locks, switches, handles, grab bars, or room landmarks.

Easy Access Light Switches

One of the most common issues wheelchair users face is not being able to reach light switches. Some are placed at the back of counters which makes them nearly impossible to reach. In an accessible home, it is recommended by universal design principles light switches be placed on the wall at 36 inches or 44 inches maximum.

Motion Sensor Lighting

For the ultimate safety and accessibility, installing motion sensor lighting is ideal, especially in bathroom areas or outdoor areas. Motion sensor lighting will help your loved one avoid fumbling with a light switch. The lights will simply come on when they enter the space.

At Next Day Access, we offer several items to help people living with disabilities or adults aging in place live comfortably, safely, and independently. We also offer free in-home consultations to help ensure the home is completely accessible. Nous contacter today to schedule your consultation.

Are you or a loved one experiencing mobility issues and needing the assistance of a wheelchair? If so, it might be time to remodel your home’s entry with a step-less solution. By remodeling for a step-less entry, you can be confident your entry will be safer and more comfortable. Here are the steps for remodeling for a step-less entry into your home:

How To Remodel

Have a covered entrance built over the entranceway. The covered entry aids in controlling water at a low threshold and ensures protection during inclement weather.

Make sure there is adequate maneuvering space around storm doors and screen doors.

Measure 5’x5’ as the minimum for level landing area maneuvering.

The walkway should be 4′ wide and sloped at 1:20 or less. If the slopes are steeper than 1:30, you will need to install handrails.

By using a mixture of retaining walls and earth berm, you will have an effective method that supplies a step-less route to the landing while keeping an integrated appearance of the home.

Remove the original small stoop.

When set at the same level as the interior house floor, the new porch landing will diminish the step at the entry door.

Prepare a flush or low-profile threshold ½’. This measurement will need to be the maximum height.

Install handrails with an integral package shelf.

Exchange your house numbers for higher contrast numbers to ensure the numbers are easy to read at a distance.

Set up good lighting at the entryway. Focus the light on the house numbers and locksets to make certain you or your loved one have ease of use and better security.

Ensure the entry and screen door provides a minimum 32″ clear opening with leverage-style hardware.

Lower the peephole, so you or your loved one can see through the peephole from the wheelchair.

Next Actions

At Next Day Access, our priority is to make sure that anyone aging in place or has mobility issues can live safely, comfortably, and independently at home. We offer a vast assortment of items that make life easier. If you would prefer not to remodel your entryway, we offer many different styles of wheelchair ramps, including threshold ramps that easily slide over a small step. However, we have products to help with your remodel if you choose to remodel. You can schedule an in-home consultation with us, and we can help you figure out if a remodel is the most effective solution for your home. During the consultation, we can also help to show you areas in the home that could use added safety measures. Nous contacter today to schedule a consultation.

Many seniors are choosing to age in place instead of going into a nursing home. In fact, 90% of seniors have said they would prefer to age at home, according to a survey by the American Advisors Group. They also point out that some home modifications for accessible living might be necessary.

If an aging adult has health problems or mobility issues in the future, their house will need some modifications. The modifications will help make sure they can live independently and comfortably while remaining safe. Here are the most common home modifications for safe, accessible living.

Barres d'appui

As we age, we are less steady on our feet. Barres d'appui help keep aging adults balanced, making them less likely to experience a severe fall. You can have grab bars installed anywhere in the home, but they should primarily be near the home’s entrance and in bathrooms. We offer sleek and stylish grab bars modifications that enhance the home’s existing interior design.

Rampes

A ramp modification instead of stairs at the entrance to the home can be helpful. Next Day Access offers ramps to fit a multitude of stair variations. If you have a step up in the home, you can purchase a threshold ramp that easily slides over the step. Ramps are one of the best modifications for someone aging in place. They minimize the risk of accidents and injuries significantly.

Walk-In Tubs or Barrier Free Showers

Stepping over a bathtub is extremely dangerous if the senior no longer has a good sense of balance. At Next Day Access, you can find conversion kits and walk-in tubs to help the senior avoid a potential bathroom fall. Next Day Access also has a range of portable showers or curb-less showers.

Full Bath Remodel

The bathroom is the most dangerous room in the house for seniors. The wet slippery floors are an enormous hazard for falls. Also, getting in and out of the tub or up and down from the toilet can be difficult. At Next Day Access, you will find everything you need to remodel the bathroom. We offer toilet lifts, grab bars, walk-in tubs, shower chairs, and more.

Next Day Access is where you will find most of the home modifications needed for a senior to age in place. We even offer a free in-home consultation where we walk through your home and help to show you areas that would be helpful with modifications. Nous contacter today to schedule your consultation.

As you get older, your bones become more brittle. A fall can be detrimental. Let us at Next Day Access help prevent your falls with a useful and user-friendly list of ways to preemptively avoid falling both inside and outside of your home.

Stylistic Changes

Use a walker, rollator, or cane to steady yourself. These items are beneficial for preventing falls when standing up or sitting down. We also recommend standing up slowly. When you get up too fast, your blood pressure can drop unexpectantly, causing you to feel faint.

Wear low-heeled and rubber-soled shoes that completely support your feet. If you wear only slippers or socks, it can be unsafe on stairs or freshly waxed wood floors.

Investment Changes

Invest in handrails and guard rails. Handrails are not just for stairs. You can put them along the hallway, in various places in the bathroom, anywhere in the house you think would be helpful.

Avoid ladders or standing on a chair to reach items. You can buy a reaching stick to help you get hard-to-reach items. If you must have a step stool, invest in one with a handle.

The bathroom is one of the most dangerous places for falls. Floors get wet and slippery, and stepping over a tub can cause severe injuries. Look into a raised toilet seat, shower chairs, bath benches, Barres d'appui, and walk-in tubs.

We highly recommend looking into home modifications for accessible living as these changes could help keep you safe and more independent for a longer time.

Consider buying a medical alarm necklace. Even though phones are handy these days, having a medical alarm conveniently around your neck will give you and your loved one’s peace of mind if there is an emergency.

Health Changes

Take care of your health. This may seem like common sense, but it is worth the reminder. You can also speak to your doctor about a bone density test. This test will tell you how strong your bones are. Your doctor can then prescribe medications to make your bones stronger.

Have your hearing and vision tested regularly. Hearing or sight issues can cause you to be less stable on your feet.

Speak to your doctor about each of your medications. Certain medications can cause balance and coordination to be negatively affected. Being aware of the issues can help you take better precautions.

At Next Day Access, our priority is to help our customers feel safe, comfortable, and independent at home. We offer many of the devices mentioned above. We also provide a free in-home consultation to help you determine if areas in your home are not safe. Contact us today!

Love is in the air this February. On Valentine’s Day, we celebrate our sweethearts. This Valentine’s Day, consider showing love and appreciation for the caregivers in your life. Many caregivers work diligently to make your life more accessible and comfortable. They deserve to feel noticed. Here are five suggestions on how to show your caregiver love.

Cook for Them

Set up a meal delivery for your caregiver. Sometimes after a long day, a cooked meal can be the greatest gift. With meal delivery services like Hello Fresh or Home Chef, your caregiver has all the ingredients delivered to the door to make a scrumptious yummy dinner.

Clean for Them

Order a “Maid for a Day.” If you work several hours a week, laundry and dishes are likely to pile up. If you hire a maid for your caregiver, they will enjoy coming home to a clean house. If your caregiver lives with you, you will be able to spend more quality time with your caregiver.

Self-Care Day

Encourage your caregiver to spend time on “self-care.” Self-care can be as simple as reading a favorite book, taking a nice bubble bath, or putting on a facemask. However, if you notice your caregiver seems overwhelmed lately, maybe treat them to a day at a spa, getting their hair done, or getting a pampering massage.

Go Out on an Adventure!

Another lovely way to show your caregiver love could be taking them out for the day. Perhaps you could grab lunch see a movie, or visit a new exhibit at a museum. The gift of your time and an outing together goes a long way.

Write a Letter

Most of the suggestions mentioned cost money, but if you are on a budget, you can still show your caregiver love. You could spend some time writing a letter telling them how much they mean to you. You do not have to spend a large amount of money to show love.

At Next Day Access, we have the pleasure of working with caregivers regularly. We notice all the hard work caregivers do. We believe caregivers deserve every bit of love shown to them this month and every day. If you need products to help you get through your day safer, comfortably, and independently, contact us.

Arthritis flare-ups can cause everyday activities like getting in and out of the shower painful. We at Next Day Access compiled a list of helpful solutions and tips to help make maneuvering through your home easier.

Bathroom Comfort

Change your faucet turners to levered handles. Changing them will make turning on your sink and tub more accessible.

Install Barres d'appui. Having something to hold onto as you get in and out of the tub helps keep you safe if your arthritis flares up.

Invest in a shower seat. These simple seats fit right in the shower stall or tub and can help you conserve energy as you shower.

Elevate your toilet seat. When your toilet seat is higher, this can reduce the strain you might feel from getting on and off a lower traditional seat.

Living Room and Dining Room Comfort

Look into touchless lamps or an alarm system that will turn things on using voice activation.

Find the perfect pillow. Most people with arthritis prefer a cervical pillow because you can keep your neck comfortable.

For doorknobs, you can change them all to levers for easier access or get rubber knob covers that are easier to turn and grip.

Kitchen Comfort

For cabinets and drawers, change the handles to pull out levers. Trying to grip a small cabinet or drawer pull is difficult with arthritis. You will find it easier to open them with an oversized handle.

Put the trashcan on wheels. A rolling trashcan will make it much easier for you when it is time to take the trash out.

Put items you often use in easy to reach places. Don’t worry if you think things look out of sorts. Your convenience and comfort are what are important.

Mobility Comfort

Look into a rollator or a walker to help you conveniently get from room to room with less pain. There are all sorts of walker and rollator designs.

When you are ready to get your home more comfortable and suitable for your lifestyle, Next Day Access is here. We will even come to your home for a free in-home consultation to ensure your home is safe as well as comfortable for you.