I don’t have any money for repairs. Am I doomed to travel dark stairwells?

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Depending upon the condition of your wiring and the type of lighting you want, adding an extra light or a second switch on a stairwell will usually be well under a few hundred dollars using the services of a qualified electrician. A basic, oak 1 ½” diameter handrail with heavy duty fasteners done properly will also be under a few hundred dollars in our area. You can spend more, but if you are looking for sturdy, functional, safety, it doesn’t cost much. It certainly costs less than a fall, fracture, or trip to the emergency room.

We do have citizens in our community who recognize that they have dangerous stairwells, but really can’t come up with the extra money to get the work done and don’t have the ability to do it themselves.

We are pleased to be able to collaborate with these groups even though we are a private design and construction company. We help them find cost effective solutions for the people in the community that they exist to serve. This makes their money spread further and they know what they are spending money on is effective. We often refer people to groups who can help with funding. The bottom line is that people who truly can’t afford simple home modifications or equipment can get what they need to life more safely and independently.

Funding for home modifications is not the same as funding for medical equipment like a cane or walker. While extremely necessary for quality living, home modifications are not defined as medically necessary by medical funding sources like Medicare or most medical insurances. Funding for modifications is scarce and is usually designated for people with low incomes. Depending upon your income, medical condition, and geographic location, there may be something.

We provide design, equipment, and construction services. We don’t provide funding ourselves. You are welcome to download our short funding quide. In Nebraska you may also want to investigate www.atp.ne.gov In Iowa look at www.iowacompass.org

I hear about so many people who quit before they start when it comes to modifications. Just this past week, we had a woman call and cancel an appointment for us to install grabbars because she “couldn’t afford it”. The strange thing was she didn’t have a price from us yet, so she didn’t know what amount it was that she was afraid she couldn’t afford. I urge you to put your safety and your independence first. What you need may not cost as much as you think. Find out what the equipment or modification you need will cost. Find out if there is a funding source that will help you. Whatever you do, if you need it. Find a way to get it.

Do we really need research to know we need to light a stairwell?

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This is simply a no brainer, isn’t it? Of course we need light in our stairwells to allow us to take advantage of the vision we have. Without good light, we might as well blindfold ourselves when we travel the stairs. Who would do that?

Unfortunately very smart and rational people who have coped with dark stairwells that were built before building codes required a light with switches at top and bottom may not realize how much easier and safer it would be to negotiate stairs if they can see what they are doing. If you know someone like that, show them this video and see if they can recognize themselves!

Good lighting in a stairwell doesn’t cause shadows over the stairwell. This is usually accomplished with lighting at top and bottom or light that is positioned to cast a light a person’s body doesn’t block when they are traveling the stairs.

Light bulbs don’t last forever, so fixtures that are easy to reach are important for stairwell safety too. That way people will replace burnt out bulbs and they will be able to do it without climbing on ladders to reach the light.

In the example today, we knew this homeowner needed to use the handrails we installed, so we expected her hands to be occupied. For additional safety we used a motion sensing light so that she wouldn’t ever have to remember to turn on the light or struggle to reach a switch while balancing with her hands on the handrails. We were careful to select a light that didn’t project into the stairwell in a way that would risk her bumping into it.

Current codes require lighting be controlled at top and bottom unless the light is operated automatically. A qualified electrician can help you determine how to add the switches at the top and bottom of your stairwell and add additional lighting.

Stairwells can be very dangerous, but most of us can’t get around in our homes without using them. In addition to non slip surfaces and good handrails, use lighting to increase your safety.

Caregivers – Save Yourselves! Protect your health to protect the ones you love.

Family caregivers don’t start off planning to be on call 24 hours a day, to fill their days multi-tasking, eating on the run, and focusing their lives around the needs of someone else. Everyone knows that is an un-healthy lifestyle-ripe for stress related illnesses. Family caregivers are usually motivated by love and are responding to the needs of someone they love. Events and responsibilities sometimes become larger than one person can manage on their own. Some caregivers find ways and help to provide the care their loved one needs without harming their own physical and mental health, others don’t. The ones that don’t are at risk of health issues and pre-mature death.

A study in 1999 showed “that being a caregiver who is experiencing mental or emotional strain is an independent risk factor for mortality among elderly spousal caregivers. Caregivers who report strain associated with caregiving are more likely to die than noncaregiving controls. Those with disabled spouses but providing no help and those helping a disabled spouse but reporting no strain did not have significantly higher mortality rates than noncaregivers.” The differences were related to the physical and mental health of the care provider. 1

Family caregivers of any age are less likely than noncaregivers to practice preventive healthcare and self-care behavior for a variety of reasons. Often they feel like there is a lack of time or financial resources. For whatever reason they tend to deprive themselves of sleep, good nutrition, exercise, rest when they are sick, and preventive medical care. They often feel isolated and alone with their responsibilities. They feel like they have no choices.

There is a choice however. Caregivers are not really all alone. There is help available in our community and support to make healthier decisions every day. Caregivers need to assume one more responsibility. They must assume responsibility for themselves and their own health.

It may be hard to take the first step asking for help or information once a person has convinced themselves that they are alone and doing things the only way they can be done, but the choice is take care of yourself or put yourself and the person you are caring for at risk. There is a reason we are cautioned to put our oxygen mask on first and then take care of the people we are responsible for every time we fly. Airlines know that there are some people who think of others first, even when faced with lack of air to breathe. The consequence is that they pass out and there is no one to take care of the people they are responsible for. Then the emergency becomes even worse! Family caregivers must take care of themselves to minimize risks for the people they are responsible for.

There are many great businesses and organizations all across the United States that provide services and information to help family caregivers provide care in a healthy way. It won’t take much time to check out these links which are for local businesses and agencies.

Aging Partners/Caregivers Support www.lincoln.ne.gov/aging
Caring Concepts www.caringconcepts.org
Home Access Solutions resource links www.HomeAccessSolutions.com
Nebraska Care Planning Council www.carenebraska.com
Southwest8Senior Services www.southwest8.org
The Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging www.enoa.org
The Respite Resource Center www.respitenetwork.org
The league of Human Dignity www.leagueofhumandignity.com

There is also a great radio talk show called “The Art of Aging” which is on Thursdays 4:00pm on KCRO 660 AM Hosted by Dale Percival & Cathy Wyatt from Financial Visions, LLC. Tuning into a radio program is easy and you don’t have to leave home.

Finally, I strongly recommend that family caregivers find a way to attend a Family Caregiver Retreat, “ A time for You” April 27 & 28th at Mahoney State Park as a way to jumpstart their resolution to find ways to care for themselves in addition to others. People will gain emotional, physical, emotional, and mental respite in addition to meeting others who are leading similar lives and leaving with constructive ideas for future success as a caregiver. Honestly I don’t think most caregivers I’ve met can afford to miss this. Download the flyer for information on events, respite options and funding, lodging, and potential room and registration scholarships. Call Donna Washburn at 1 800-247-0938 for information.

Please share the news and share the video. Spread the word about the retreat and resources to help the family caregiver save themselves.

1 Shultz, Richard and Beach, Scott (1999). Caregiving as A Risk for Mortality: The Caregiver Health Effects Study. JAMA, December 15, 1999 - Vol. 282, No.23