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…

Caregivers have a lot on their plate, and it can be very challenging balancing caregiving responsibilities while taking care of their own lives and families. Some people with Alzheimer’s Disease may exhibit wandering behaviors and that adds even more challenges to keeping loved ones safe and healthy. Some may attempt to leave their safe environments without supervision or may get lost while out in the community unattended.

At our center, we have a Wanderguard program for memory impaired seniors to help prevent wandering. The Alzheimer’s Association has a Safe Return Program…

A few weeks ago, I wrote about a friend’s dad who had both of his hips replaced. Since then, I’ve spoken to family and friends with hip issues of their own. One family member dislocated her hip last week after using it to move furniture. She said, “I always used my hip to bump furniture back in place, but I guess I forgot I’m 75 years old now, and probably shouldn’t do that!”  I thought, “That would be something to keep in mind.” Another friend has had serious hip pain…

A frequent type of call I receive in the Customer Care Center at VNSNY relates to patients who have fallen in their homes. I am reminded of the seriousness of such a call as soon as I open my telehealth triage guidelines as listed below:

At least one-third of patients over the age of 65 years and one-half of those over 85 years fall each year. Falls in the geriatric population are associated with significant potential morbidity and occasional mortality. Non-intentional injury is the seventh* leading cause of death in people over 65 years in…

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…

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…

(Photo by Hey Paul)

I’m always impressed when I talk with some families who have a great system in place to organize all the important information they need to share with each other as caregivers, to home health aides assisting with care in the home, and to the professional VNSNY nurses and therapists for our patients.

For example, a daughter of an elderly man with cancer called to report that her father was in considerable pain. When I asked the daughter when her father last took his pain medication, she had a…

(Photo by Ron Bird)

For the last few weeks, most of the country has had unseasonably cold weather. This can be very dangerous, and it’s important for everyone to take special precautions. 

Simple tips to keep in mind:

• When you go out, it’s important to dress in layers. I personally like fleece sweaters because I find them soft and warm. Remember to have your hands and feet covered, preferably with insulated and waterproof materials. 
• It’s important to wear a hat since most of the body’s heat escapes from the head. Find one that covers the ears, or wear earmuffs.
• Make sure…

(Photo by Liz Novack)

Oh yes! We have a problem, as do many residents in NYC. There are bedbugs in apartment buildings, hotels, subways, buses, etc. And what happens if you bring them home and you find bites on you or your children. Getting rid of them is no easy task I assure you. But believe it or not we have the weather on our side. They cannot survive in cold climates and basically ‘freeze to death’. But are you going to shut of your heat and relocate to do that??…