Use the simple Holiday light wireless remote in bigger and better ways

The simple and inexpensive wireless remote many of us use to light holiday decorations can be used to help seniors or people with disabilities in many every day activities. Most of us use these remotes to avoid going out in the cold for our exterior lights or to avoid crawling under the Christmas tree. Imagine for a minute, what life is like for a person who has difficulty handling light switches, phones, tv remotes, or thermostats due to disabilities. What you can accomplish with a tool like the wireless remote then moves from convenience to necessity.

Devices very similar to the wireless remote available in hardware stores everywhere for less than $25 could be a powerful life-changing tool. Electronic Aids to Daily Living or EADL are what these devices are called when used by a person with a disability to achieve a greater level of independence at home, school, work, or in recreation. EADL range from the generic and fairly simple, such as devices that use existing household electrical system with plug in receivers and transmitters like X-10 http://www.x10pro.com, to the specialized and often complex devices that operate a wide variety of electric/battery operated equipment such as Quartet technology http://www.qtiusa.com. EADLs enable people to do things like operate emergency call equipment, open doors, operate telephones, control lights, fans, TVs, or audio systems.

A person with very limited physical abilities would benefit from a professional assessment of their goals and skills as well as practice with the equipment in order to make sure they get something that will actually work for them. Not all therapists are experienced in EADL to make these assessments, but we are lucky enough in our area to have some professionals and clinics that do. Give us a call if you are looking for referrals. You can also search the Equipment portion of the Assistive Technology website in Nebraska www.at4all.com and the Assistive Technology website in Iowa www.iowacompass.org

Whatever you do, don’t let the name EADL frighten you away from doing simple, common sense adaptations though. What a powerful safety tool, something as simple as a wireless remote could be for an older person who would like to turn lights on in the path to the bathroom at night.

So share the news and share the video. You can use everyday items like a holiday wireless remote to improve the everyday living and everyday caregiving of the person in your life who is a senior or a person with a disability.

FUNctional Gifts from A to Z

We are heading into the season when many of us start thinking about gifts for the people we care about. Giving a gift is a loving gesture. The best gifts are those people treasure long after they are unwrapped and ones that have meaning and purpose.

If you have friends or family that are older or that have significant disabilities you may be at a loss for a great gift idea. Sometimes it is hard to come up with that perfect gift that is useable and meaningful. Let us help you think out of the box and skip the same old knick knacks and aftershave collections! How much of that stuff can one house hold? Download our list of FUNctional Gift Ideas from A-Z. You will find ideas that are useful, some that are fun, some that you can buy, and some that you can make. Get busy, Give the Gift of Independence and Safety to someone you love today!

One Size Does Not Fit All

No one who needs residential access or equipment for daily living is exactly like anyone else and doesn’t live in a home that is exactly like anyone else’s. How much sense does it make to assume that the same access equipment or modification that works for one person is going to work for everyone? It doesn’t. so Why do we repeatedly hear stories such as a family getting a ceiling track lift for a growing 3 year old and ending up with a sling for a small adult. Worse yet, the whole point of the lift system was to assist with toilet training, but the sling provided was a full body sling. That means it had no toilet hole. A system designed to last for years, costing the agency funding it thousands of dollars and it doesn’t work for the family at all because the company selling it took the one size fits all approach. As it turns out, the company providing the winning, lowest bid had not even been to the home.

Access is a personal thing. It is an adaptation that matches a person’s goals, skills, size, medical condition, developmental status, environment, and preferences. When you need residential access find a building professional or designer who understands this concept. They also need to know something both about construction and disability or aging. One place to look is at the National Association of Home Builder’s website for a professional with a CAPS (Certified Aging in Place Specialist) designation. http://www.nahb.org/directory.aspx?directoryID=188 Avoid working with designers or contractors who try to blindly apply American With Disability Act Guidelines to residential situations. ADAAG are a good starting place and have to be used if they’ve been incorporated into your area’s building code, but they weren’t designed with your personal situation at home in mind.

If equipment is recommended, make every effort to try it yourself if possible. If demo equipment isn’t available, learn enough about the equipment to know how it works and what you need to be able to do to operate it. Work with a knowledgeable salesperson who knows the equipment and is willing to take the time to evaluate your skills and environment. He or she can at least help you simulate using the equipment and can help you understand how the equipment is going to work in your home.

You are unique, your home is unique, your situation is unique. How can one size fits all fit your needs? It probably won’t. Take the time to match your home modification and equipment to your unique situation. Then you will have a solution that will work. Download our short guide to help you start the planning process.