Maintaining Balance to Maximize Mobility
One of our missions at Oakley Home Access is to educate on how home safety begins with proper planning and the right tools. While ramps and stairlifts continue to be our most popular home modifications, there are many smaller tools and modifications which can help in the home and the community. These tools are inexpensive, minimally invasive, and assist greatly in fall prevention and aging in place! Here are some of our “outside the box” products which focus specifically on assisting with balance.
I Need Better Balance When Getting Out of the Car
The Handibar is a unique tool which assists in car transfers. The tool is small enough to put into the side door storage, a small purse, or the center console. The Handibar gives the user a stable, graspable surface to push up from when exiting a car. It can also assist by providing stability while entering the vehicle the same way we educate to reach back for an armrest before sitting down into a chair. The design is universal as it slides easily into the door latch which exists on every car. It also will not damage your vehicle as that door latch can hold 2500lb of vertical force by code! Without the Handibar we find that our clients push up from the soft seats, grab on to the door itself (that moves), or attempt to grip the door frame. All of these alternative measures are difficult, dangerous, and can lead to falls or fear of going out into the community.
I Need Help Getting Up From the Couch or my Favorite Chair
Grab bars will always be the gold standard. However, they are limited in that they utilize a wall to securely mount into. For locations without a wall nearby such as a couch, bed, toilet, or sunken living room, a Security Pole by Stander is an amazing option. The Security Pole utilizes the strength of the ceiling and the floor to put a grab bar WHEREVER it is needed. It also does not require any drilling (optional) or mess, and can be relocated anywhere in the house where you have a flat ceiling between 7 and 10 feet high.
I Need Help When I Walk, But a Cane Is Not Enough
Many of our clients ambulate independently within the home without the use of a cane or walker. The reason for this is that they are going shorter distances and often utilize a method called “furniture walking” (For more information on this check out our YouTube Channel). For longer distances, however, a rolling walker is a great solution to assist with balance. This option here is lightweight, has a high weight capacity, and can fold up quickly to put into the car. Fear of falling should not limit your quality of life and community engagement! With the help of this tool you or your loved ones can feel secure when traveling in the community OR in your home.
I Need Help Getting In and Out of the Shower
Showers are dark, slippery, and the most common area in the home to fall for people of all ages. So why not have something to hold onto! We offer grab bars to match any decor and guarantee that they will be in the perfect location for you when assessed by our Occupational Therapists and Certified Aging in Place Specialists. We also guarantee they will be secure, watertight, and mess-free when installed by our extremely talented technicians!
We invite you to schedule a Free Home Safety Assessment to see how we can help to solve all of your balance needs with our knowledge, tools, and modifications. Don’t let fear of falling stop you from engaging in meaningful activities within the home and within the community!
In other News…..
The American Occupational Therapy Association Conference
Oakley Home Access is excited to be participating in the AOTA Annual Conference next month as an industry expert in Home Modifications and Aging In Place. The event travels to different states every year and brings together thousands of occupational therapists from around the globe. The event has not been held in New England in recent memory and we hope to see all of our RI, MA, and CT colleagues there. We will be located in the exhibit hall which hosts hundreds of companies demonstrating the latest and greatest services and technology to the OT community. Be sure to stop by Booth 1213 and say hello!
Learn more at: #AOTA2020 and, as always at OakleyHomeAccess.com.