Distinguishing one day from another is one of the difficulties of living in a nursing home. Sometimes it’s also an issue for people who don’t observe a routine outside of their usual living space.
Knowing what the day and date are and anticipating activities and holidays are important tools for keeping mental skills in good shape.
I was pleased to find this calendar last year for my dad. The daily squares are large enough so that I can note activities in large letters; my dad can easily read the calendar from his wheelchair.
This calendar also has an uncommon feature: a date marker. This is a red rectangle that slides on a transparent strip of plastic. The plastic band wraps around the calendar; you move the rectangle each day to the correct date. If Dad doesn’t remember what activities are on today’s schedule — or if he’s confused about what day it is — the rectangle cues him.
The only drawback is that it’s boring! We solved that in Dad’s room by hanging three different calendars (all showing Golden Retrievers, of course) next to this calendar. They’re folded so that only the glossy photos of dogs show.
On the first of the month when I change the page of the large calendar, I also flip the canine calendar pages, revealing three new dogs-of-the-month. Practicality and glamor; you can’t beat the combination!
I found this calendar in an office supply store last year, but haven’t seen it this year. It’s called AT-A-Glance Wall Calendar with Additional Features, and I found it online at mead.com.
Members of the DIY crowd could probably find a number of ways to implement a similar date marker on almost any wall calendar by making a bright cardboard rectangle and cutting a clear plastic strip from holiday packaging.
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My dad’s circulatory problems are worsening, and he’s finding his shoes to be more and more uncomfortable. Severe edema in his legs means that the heels of his shoes hold his feet at an uncomfortable angle, but he still prefers wearing something shoe-like along with his compression stockings.
The adjustable slippers we gave him a couple of years ago were fine for casual wear at the time, and I’d still recommend them highly. Now, though, dad’s legs and feet need a bit more coddling: These sheepskin slippers, made by Old Friend, are just the thing. The heel makes them feel like shoes, and helps to keep them on Dad’s feet; the velcro over the top of the foot allows the slipper to be readjusted day-by-day as needed.
The wool fleece lining is light and airy, keeping pressure off Dad’s feet, and the open toes keep air circulating around his nails to minimize problems in that area.
Best of all, these slippers are cozy and luxurious, just like the traditional sheepskin slippers he used to wear and love.
That’s the good news. The bad news is that it took me several days of diligent hunting to find them in Dad’s size. One shop owner told me that he’d gotten a huge number in last year but had a terrible time “getting rid of them”! My advice? Snatch them up as soon as you find them — they’re a great idea, but I don’t think many people know they exist.
I found Dad’s at Muldoon’s in Wisconsin; Zappos also carries them, but they were out of his size, and I didn’t want to wait.
Note: Old Friend recommends freshening sheepskin footwear by dusting the interior with baking soda and letting it sit over night. Shake or vacuum the soda out the next day. Fashionistas who are slaves to the ubiquitous sheepskin boot, take note!
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Previously, I’ve written about the hydraulic lift I used to transfer my dad from his wheelchair onto the seat of a car. It’s a great device, but cumbersome and requires installation in whatever vehicle is being used.
The sling in the picture above (left) is quite similar to the one my dad’s automatic lift. The difference is that the Comfort Carrier doesn’t require a mechanical arm. If you’re in situations where there are usually two people available to help with a transfer, this is a far simpler — and much less expensive — solution.
It’s surprisingly easy to slip this kind of sling around someone — even if they cannot help to put it on. The upper part slides down the back; then the lower side pieces slip under the thighs, and then around and in front. It’s not necessary to lift off a chair to get the sling in place.
The website lists a phenomenal number of potential uses from the everyday (getting in and out of bed) to sports (transfer more simply to a kayak or canoe) to travel (trains, buses, cruise ships) and more.
If you regularly travel in several different cars, use taxis with family members or friends, or are travelling anywhere transport may be inaccessible to wheelchairs, this sling could make a whole slew of obstacles melt away. Likewise, it could be a very useful carry-on for air travelers; folded it’s just 10 inches by 11 by 3.
Using this carrier could potentially simplify an RV or camping trip considerably — possibly even eliminating the need for a custom lift on an RV, and making transfers around the campsite much less problematic. If a beach wheelchair isn’t the answer for you, the Comfort Carrier might get you down to the water with minimal fuss.
The company also suggests using the sling as an emergency evacuation tool — a way to get down stairs when elevators break down, or to remove quickly and easily to higher ground in flooding, etc.. People who use wheelchairs at work in situations where there isn’t immediate access to an exterior door on a ground floor might feel a greater measure of security if they keep one at the office — and make sure co-workers know how to use it.
Gimpgear’s Comfort Carrier personal transfer sling comes in two sizes, for people up to 380 lbs. See lots of testimonials and customer photos on the Gimpgear website.
Gimpgear? That’s right — ya gotta have a sense of humor. The self-described a C-5 quad who is president of the company marketing the Comfort Carrier obviously does.
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As my dad’s mind and body change, his ability to understand and interpret the changes is diminishing. As a result, falls have become a very serious issue, and a frequent occurrence. Dad has never wanted to ring the call bell for assistance, but now he sometimes forgets to use it, and, occasionally, forgets that the bell exists.
One of these alarm mats is now installed at the entryway to his bathroom — the place where his falls inevitably occur. It’s quite inobtrusive (the color of his carpet is almost identical to the color of the mat), but the alarm is not. There’s no mistaking it for any other sound, and no ignoring it.
It’s quite sensitive; I set it off myself just by stepping accidentally on a corner.
A switch box is mounted out of wheelchair reach on the inside of the bathroom. A slider turns the alarm off, and, when returned to the original position, resets the alarm.
This solution is working well for Dad; the alarm could also be used next to a bed (as in the image above), or across just about any doorway. The mat’s quite thin (especially around the edges), and very ’sticky’; it’s unlikely to cause tripping.
Available online from Mountainside Medical and various other medical supply houses
]]>For TV-watching dads:
Sleek, Super-Size Remote Control
Fun and Games:
Marble Run for Dexterity and Better Hand Coordination
Engaging Hand-Held Game for One or More
More than a card:
Loving company:
Companion Pets — Blondie the Golden Retriever
Companion Pets — Puzzle the Cat
For happy feet:
Slippers for Swollen or Sensitive Feet
Shoehorn With a Sense of Humor
Better than a Rolex:
Super Large Analog Date/Time Clock
Custom rims:
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My dad has a job at the nursing home now. He’s the party responsible for changing the calendar sign on the wing he lives on. Against all odds, he’s enjoying this task thoroughly, and making jokes about how “there’s no more free ride”. It’s been impossible to get him to help out in any other way, but he’s very pleased with this role.
I suspect he likes the routine, and is also happy that it doesn’t interfere with another favorite habit — spending the morning reading the Wall Street Journal. Now that his legs are increasingly bothersome, the trip to the placard is short enough that he can still manage it on his own — and “on his own” is a status he much prefers.
Finding ways to keep my dad mentally stimulated has been difficult. (I wrote about this previously in Therapeutic Recreation for Those Who Will Not Play.) A little while ago, I happened to mention Trivial Pursuit to the husband of a new resident when he had stopped by to say hello to my dad. He remembered the game, and said something positive about it; in the face of what looked a little like peer pressure, Dad did not immediately refuse to consider playing.
This sliver of non-rejection was enough for me. The recreation staff was more than willing to facilitate a game, and eBay, abundant provider of all things out-of-date, supplied a Genus edition, produced in 1982. The game is meant to be played on a board. Players draw cards and answer factual questions from six categories: geography; entertainment; history; art and literature; science and nature; and sports and leisure.
People who have a knack for trivia probably have an edge, but many of the answers have made their way into most people’s consciousness as a manifestation of the general culture. That this edition was published in 1982 is a bonus, since all the information needed was known prior to that date, and has only been reinforced over the decades since. For people whose long-term memory works better than the short-term, the Genus edition is just about perfect.
The guys dispensed with the board immediately, and got to work quizzing each other using only the cards. My dad won the first two matches, and his partner has won the most recent two. The battle rages . . . and the guys are having a good time razzing each other between bouts.
Dad’s got two new activities he enjoys — and enjoys anticipating. Mental stimulation, social interaction, a sense of belonging and even (who could have guessed?) a bit of fun. Whooohooo!
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My dad’s “senior living community” held an open house about a month ago. It’s one of several ‘big’ events they hold each year. This particular event showcased a newly remodeled recreation room in the assisted living area, which is at the extreme opposite of the nursing home wing my dad lives in.
Dad is notoriously balky about wanting to do much of anything, so I used an old trick. I showed up an hour before my usual visiting time and checked out the festivities. My nefarious plan, of course, was to pop down to Dad’s room and let him know all he’d missed — at which point I figured he’d want to see for himself.
The staff made it so easy. There was a handout in the main lobby that looked like a sleek version of a pirate’s treasure map. Colorful triangles dotted the page; each one indicated some point where food, music, or entertainment could be found.
Dad’s home isn’t really very large, but it’s arranged with three wings, each with a separate ‘living room’ area. There are a couple of other common areas, the lobby, a recreation center, and additional lobbies and the new rec center over on the assited living side. It’s designed quite intentionally so that there are lots of little ‘pods’ everywhere — open but intimate rooms that feel very home-like.
Every one of these held something interesting. The dining room staff made sure that different foods were featured all through the building, and kept the goodies coming for hours. A piano was rolled into the main lobby; upstairs in the new rec room entertainment (musicians, Irish dancers) was scheduled all through the afternoon. You really couldn’t help but go from point to point — there was something new around every corner.
I had all the ammunition I needed inside of ten minutes. Did Dad realize that there were jumbo shrimp right outside his door? That I’d seen musicians upstairs? That there were crabcakes in the next wing over? Smoked salmon hors d’oeuvres in assisted living? Asian tidbits in the small conference room? A new show every half hour in the rec room? That I’d grazed my delicious way to Dad’s room?
Dad thought he ought to do a little grazing himself. An hour and a half later, he’d sampled everything in the place, watched the Irish dancers, and become a full-fledged member of the happy throng. Choosing to scatter food and entertainment all through the building was a sure-fire prescription for success. Everyone was revelling in the treasure-hunt like ambiance; tips were exchanged about which goodies were where, and enthusiasm renewed as soon as each corner was turned.
It was a beautiful set-up, perfectly planned to inspire maximum participation and social interaction. Even Dad couldn’t resist.
All photos from flckr:
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This cute little case holds an HP Photosmart printer like the one my dad’s niece brought when she came for an unexpected visit a while ago. Amy brought along a whole passel of relatives, too, and everyone took turn taking. She set the compact printer up in Dad’s room, powered it up, and printed off snapshots while everyone visited.
Dad was enchanted with the gadget, and the whole process. The visit had all of the charm from back in the days when Polaroids were new, when people snapped pictures and stood around oooohing and aaaahing as the camera spit out the magically developing photo. But in this case, the hardware was sleeker and the picture quality terrific.
Dad’s family went home with pictures of him, but, best of all, they left behind several dozen photos which now grace his walls — reminders of a fun and novel visit. Everyone likes getting presents: This portable printer turned out to be the gift that kept on giving — all through the visit and long afterward.
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Playing cards is a favorite pastime for many people, and a fine way to spend time companionably during a nursing home or sick room visit when conversation lags. Depending on the game, even very young children and adults of all abilities can join in.
Cards are no fun, though, if they’re difficult to hold. Young children and anyone with arthritis or some types of grasp impairments will find that playing is more enjoyable when they use a card holder like these, all of which are carried online at Elderstore. You also may be able to find them at game or stationery stores, or at hospital gift shops.
The blue plastic model, above left, is one we have. It’s curved, and the cards sit in a fan-shape, which I prefer, probably just because that’s the way card hands usually look. This model’s taller than most, and cards sit higher. Gripper pads on the sides keep it from sliding around. Sold in a set of two.
The hardwood holder, to the right, has three grooves, which allows the cards to be arranged so that they seem to be fanned — a nice feature. The wood is attractive, too, and won’t look quite as garish in a well-appointed room, whether in a house or in a nursing home. Sold singly.
Modernists, and Mah Jong players, will like this clear plastic holder, available in 10 inch or 15 inch lengths. There’s a place for a pencil, and also for Mah Jong tiles. These holders are sold in sets of four.
You may have seen round card holders as well — they’re sometimes available at ‘dollar’ stores or where party supplies are sold. They may work for some people, but they do require the same sort of pinching grasp as holding cards in the traditional manner.
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A couple of months ago, I wrote about the the titanium glasses we got for my dad and discussed the amazing flexibility of the frames. This week they were put to the test. It’s not quite clear what happened — apparently my dad’s glasses landed on the floor and were either stepped on by an aide or perhaps wheeled over by . . . well, we won’t say who.
My dad presented the frames to me — and the lens that had popped out — wrapped in a slew of tissues. “Do you have your little screwdriver with you?” he asked. His faith in the tool kit I carry with me was touching, but there was nothing at all wrong with the temple screws on his glasses. The frames had been torsioned in just about every direction; it looked as if an anvil was probably the tool of choice for this repair.
I took the glasses back to Lenscrafters the next day and watched while a very patient, very kind employee worked for a long time to reshape the frames. Just about every square inch needed an adjustment, and it was clear that nothing less resilient than titanium could have survived a repair of this magnitude.
They were returned to me, straight, clean, and in a new case so I could get them back to dad without any further incident — all at no charge. Dad was very pleased, and so was I.
When my dad needed new glasses a few months ago, I was able to take him to Lenscrafters. These few months later, it’s no longer possible for me to bring my dad to the optician when a disaster happens; it was pretty horrifying to think about how difficult trying to replace broken glasses would be now.
This experience validated the decision to go with the expensive titanium frames. We avoided a logistical nightmare, and our local Lenscrafters couldn’t have been nicer or more helpful. With the specific lenses my dad needed, these glasses cost just under $5oo (USD). Being able to mangle them, and then repair them so quickly? Priceless.
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