Graeme Weatherston / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Many people are able to stay active outdoors with the assistance of canes, walkers, rollators and wheelchairs. However these devices are a safety hazard when certain parts start wearing out. Please take a moment to check the condition of your assistive device before going outdoors.

Brakes

Wheelchairs and rollators with worn brakes are a safety hazard. Your local surgical supply store or medical supply vendor can assist with repairing or replacing worn brakes.

Rollator Brake

Rubber Tips

Walkers and canes have rubber tips that provides traction and absorbs impact. Over time these…

I have always admired caregivers for the sacrifices they make for their loved ones. In recent weeks my admiration for them has only deepened as my wife and I welcomed in our first child. We have been learning the art of burping, changing diapers, surviving those sleepless nights and of course providing the love our daughter needs.

I realized that our family’s time of transition is truly a on the job learning experience. It was not a surprise that the caregivers I’ve met in the past few years came to mind…

Photo by healingdream at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

We can all agree that routine walking is a great form of exercise especially for the elderly. However improper fitting or uncomfortable shoes can not only lead to foot problems but can cause pain or injury to the knee and the back.

Before you head to your local shoe store take a look at some of the helpful guidelines I found from the online AARP article “When Comfort Counts: Choosing a Walking Shoe”.

• Buy the right size. Don’t choose shoes by the size marked inside. Go by how they…

Grab bars are valuable in helping the elderly prevent falls in the bathroom. A few questions I normally ask before I recommend the installation of a set of grab bars are:

1. Do you have difficulty getting in and out of the tub or shower?
2. Do you use the towel rack or sink for support?
3. If you use a shower seat, do you have trouble getting on and off it?
4. Have you recently fallen while taking a shower?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, installing grab bars may be a good idea.

Grab Bar…

When a patient is discharged from the hospital, rehab center or nursing and he or she returns home, it can be a stressful time for any caregiver. Take a look at this Center for Medicare and Medicaid Service video which provides valuable tips to assist both the patient and caregiver during this time of transition.

Afterwards, download and print out their helpful discharge checklist.

Based on my experience as a therapist in the hospital and home care setting, I have found these questions helpful to ask prior to your loved one’s discharge.

1) Do…

Far Rockaway's shoreline with the Atlantic Ocean in the distance

We can all agree that taking a daily walk is an excellent way for the elderly to stay fit. However rising summer temperatures can leave the elderly susceptible to heat-related illnesses if proper precautions are not taken during outdoor activities.

Heat stroke is the most dangerous form of a heat-related illness which occurs when a person’s body temperature rises to 106 degrees or higher and is unable to cool down. This condition can lead to death or disability if immediate treatment is…

It Has Been a Few Years
To my surprise a man in his late 80’s who I’ll refer to as Mr. Ben had agreed to be seen for his annual physical therapy checkup for the first time in a few years. His visiting nurse warned me that he agreed to see me only for short period of time so I could assess his need for a cane due to a recent fall. If I were a betting man, my guess would be that I only had about 30 minutes for the…

Photo by Simon Howden

I recently had the pleasure of speaking with a group of elderly women on the topic of preventing falls. Of those in attendance, each lives independently in a senior building in Queens. To my pleasant surprise the planned presentation, which had four main points and an easy to follow handout, transformed into a dynamic conversation between the women.

As each person shared stories of their own falls and recovery, it was apparent their contributions injected relevancy into the statistics and insights I had presented. I appreciated their honesty…

You might ask why my visits last summer in Flushing, Queens felt like a homecoming. Flushing is where I was raised during my early childhood and spent many enjoyable hours at the home of my grandparents. One Friday morning as I traveled to a member’s apartment I realized I was walking the same streets as a kid with my parents.

A typical street scene in Flushing

Even though I grew up speaking the Cantonese dialect I was in the process of learning Mandarin which is the spoken dialect of the majority of…

Rain or shine I kick off the work week by visiting my members in the seaside community of Far Rockaway, New York. Even though I was raised in Queens I had never stepped foot in this neighborhood prior to joining VNS CHOICE. Growing up I knew Far Rockaway as the place on the subway map with stops along the beach.

Here’s a brief tally of some of the places I’ve visited prior to starting with VNS CHOICE

Location                                # of visits made                         Distance from home

Hong Kong                                      8                                              8046 miles

Beijing                                             5                                              6829…