Interim Calendar Picture

Does anyone recognize where in Omaha this photo of the pioneer statues was taken? It appeared in Interim's Traveling Across the Country calendar as the month of July.

MDA Fundraiser

Our marketers Tracey and Colin will be going to jail! Well at least serving time for Jerry's Kids and the Muscular Dystrophy Association.They need your help to make their bail of $2,000 a piece before Thursday, July 28th. Your 100% tax-deductible donation will help the MDA continue research on the causes and cures for 43 neuromuscular diseases.

What your donations will provide:

• $1,600 sends 2 children, ages 6-17, to MDA Summer Camp
• $800 sends 1 child, age 6-17, to MDA Summer Camp
• $500 helps repair medical equipment
• $150 allows 1 visit for clinical services at the University of Nebraska Medical Center MDA Clinic
• $100 funds 1 support group sessions for families affected by a neuromuscular disease
• $85 funds 1 minute of research
• $30 provides an annual flu shot

 Donations can be made online at:

Colin's Site

or

Tracey's Site

Cash and Checks (made payable to MDA) can be mailed to either Colin or Tracey at:

 Attn: MDA

11207 West Dodge Road, Suite 100

Omaha, NE 68154

Tracey and Colin will make sure to give you your tax deductible receipt after receiving your donations.

Thank you all for your contributions

Happy Flag Day!

Put out your American flags and show your support!

The Bottom Line on Arthritis

Those of you who have arthritis, think you may have it or know someone who does, will have a few more helpful ideas of how to deal with this disabling disease. Here is a brief list of important points:

1. Pay attention to your symptoms, see your doctor and get an accurate diagnosis. Find out if you have arthritis earlier rather than later —the earlier an accurate diagnosis is made and treatment started the better. Early diagnosis can often mean less joint damage and less pain.

2. Protect your joints; if you are having joint pain when performing an activity, stop what you are doing or do it another way that does not cause pain.

3. Stay close to your recommended weight.
 
4. Get moving—exercise helps lessen pain, increase range of movement, reduces fatigue and helps you feel better overall.
 
5. Products are available, such as: jar openers, sock puller and buttoner that are easy to use and make small activities doable again. Talk with your doctor, physical therapist, pharmacist or contact the Arthritis Foundation, www.arthritis.org or call 800-568-4045, about free information.
 
6. Take your medication just as your doctor prescribes. If you are tempted to stop because you feel it is not working or you believe it is causing side effects, call your doctor first. It can take weeks or months for the full benefits of a medication to become apparent and some side effects to ease over time.
 
7. Finally, face facts, learn something new about arthritis. Build an understanding of your disease. The more you know about arthritis, the more empowered you will be to help yourself or someone you care about.

De-Conditioning another Key Issue of Arthritis

One of the biggest problems arthritis sufferers must battle is not moving around a lot because you anticipate pain. This is easy to understand, you want to be still and not move the painful part. With osteoarthritis you need to move. If you don’t move, muscles become weak and joint lubrication decreases. When muscles become weak and joint lubrication decreases, arthritic pain becomes worse. Move! Swim! Dance! Walk the Mall! Walk the dog! Get up, get out and move! 

Movement is the best thing you can do for your muscles, joints, your mood and perception of pain. Movement will make muscles and tendons stronger and more supportive. The longer you go without using a painful joint the more difficulty you will have getting it to move again without pain. So, if you have not been moving around much, start out slow but move and keep moving.

Here are a number of suggestions for activity made by the Arthritis Foundation:

• Stretch your legs to keep joints and muscles flexible and keep your calf muscles strong and flexible. 

• Take a hike—choose your favorite spots and make plans to walk them at least once a week. Walking is the ideal exercise for most people with arthritis—it burns calories, strengthens muscles and builds denser bones all without jarring fragile joints.

• Listen to your favorite music—it can lighten your mood and may even help you forget your pain for a little while. Make a tape of your favorite upbeat tunes and listen to it when you need a lift.

•  Exercise in water--the water’s buoyancy reduces wear and tear on sore joints. 

•  Sign up for a class that makes exercise fun, for example: country line dancing, ballroom dancing, swimming, Yoga or Tai chi.

•  Play in the dirt—buy seeds for three of your favorite vegetables or flowers and plant a garden.

•  Have a good laugh—read a book of jokes, rent a funny movie or watch your favorite sit-com or stand-up comedian

•  Play it safe in the sun: wear sunglasses, a hat and sun screen as some types of arthritis and certain arthritis medications can leave you more vulnerable to the sun’s harmful rays.

 
You can contact your local chapter of the Arthritis Foundation (www.arthritis.org or 800-568-4045) or other organization (http://aarp.org) to get plugged into activities available in your community.

Pain: A Key Issue with Arthritis

Not surprisingly, people with arthritis can have chronic pain in their feet, knees, hips, back, shoulders and elbows. This pain can lead to poor quality of sleep. Poor quality of sleep can lead to tension and more pain and so on and so on. One way to reduce joint pain and support refreshing sleep is to soak in a warm bath before bed. It can relieve muscle tension, ease aching joints and help you get a good night’s sleep. 

If you are waking up every few hours in pain and you are on a medication to relieve pain, you need to call your doctor, because it is not working. Tell him or her when you have pain, what you are doing and how long you have pain after your last pill. Ask your doctor if a different pain medication would work better or if you should change the time or the amount that you take. You may want to keep a pain and sleep journal for just a few days or a week to give the doctor and you more information. What this means is that you write down every day how you slept, when you had pain and what you did to make it go away. You’ll also want to include any ideas you have about what seemed to cause the pain or poor quality of sleep.

An important point about managing your pain is knowing what medications you are on. If you are on a medication for pain, be sure that you are taking the medication as instructed by your doctor. Also, consider taking your prescribed pain medication before you get out of bed in the morning if your pain is worse at this time. Give yourself an extra half hour to allow your pain medication a chance to work before getting up. Keep water and crackers next to your bed if pain medication bothers your stomach.

Pain relief through massage in another way to relieve your Arthritis. Treat your muscles to a gentle massage from a certified massage therapist. The therapist’s gentle movements will help mobilize muscles, ligaments and joints that have been used infrequently. Results vary from person to person but may include decreased pain and increased circulation, energy and flexibility. You should check with your doctor before beginning regular massages.
 
The use of heat or cold treatments can be used to manage pain that is localized to one area of your body. Be very careful to follow your doctor’s directions in the type, amount and length of time for any applications of heat or cold. Heating pads, ice packets and products you can purchase without a prescription at the drug store can cause injury if not used properly, so be sure to get guidance on the use of heat or cold from your doctor. 

Also, look at your wardrobe; do your shoes fit; are they comfortable to your toes, heels and bunions? A well padded, well fitting shoe with plenty of room for your toes and their imperfections can make a world of difference in the way your arthritic feet (and the rest of you) feel.

The Impact of Diet, Diet Sensitivities and Nutritional Supplements on Arthritis

Research is currently being done to establish the relationship of arthritis to diet. Many people with arthritis want to know if the foods they eat can cause arthritis or affect their arthritis symptoms from varying from one day to the next. In fact research to date has shown that what you eat may affect certain kinds of arthritis. If you identify something you eat and believe it may be causing your arthritis pain to be worse after you’ve eaten it, tell your doctor. Your doctor may want you to avoid this food for a few days and then re-introduce it into your diet to see what/if any effect there is on your arthritis.

In exciting new research a connection has also been found between nutritional supplements and certain types of arthritis. The most studied area so far is the relationship between knee  osteoarthritis and the use of Glucosamine and Chondroitin. A very large study recently showed that these supplements have a positive effect on cartilage in the knee. Glucosamine and Chondroitin are being used to relieve pain from osteoarthritis and may reduce the loss of joint cartilage that occurs with the disease. Consider taking this nutritional supplement only with your doctor’s approval, as there can be interactions between supplements and other medications or food that you eat. Tell your doctor, even though so-called natural medications or supplements have the potential to cause side effects or cause interactions that could put your health at risk.
 
Arthritis research, just as research for other long, term chronic diseases, consistently recommends that you eat a healthy, well-balanced diet including: plenty of vegetables, fruits and whole-grain products. In particular eat oranges they have vitamin C and other antioxidants that reduce the risk of osteoarthritis and its progression.

Preventing More Damage

Your doctor may recommend a combination of treatments to prevent further damage to your joints and reduce your discomfort. These can include medication, use of heat or cold, weight management, exercise, and therapy. While you can't prevent your risk for getting arthritis such as inherited genes, gender, or past injuries you can take advantage of factors you can prevent. 

One factor in preventing further joint damage is getting early treatment. Research has shown that you will help yourself more with early treatment than if you wait. Your doctor may prescribe physical or occupational therapy and not medication as the first step. The therapist can teach you how to make a movement or complete a task in a manner that is less taxing to an arthritic joint. This is a way to avoid further injury to that joint and less pain in your daily activities. Your occupational therapist might also give you suggestions about tools that you can use that may make certain tasks easier. Tools such as a jar opener, cane, walker, phone dialer, buttoner and sock puller can be helpful in getting everyday tasks done while minimizing your pain.

A second important factor in preventing joint damage is to control your weight. Think of it in this way: pounds put on in your 20s and 30s can build up years of pressure on your joints. Imagine sitting with a 30 pound weight on your neck for the next 20 years. That would increase joint stress in every joint below that extra weight: your neck, back, shoulders and hips. This stress can cause more wear and tear on your joints which can result in osteoarthritis. Even a few extra  pounds have an impact. Being only 10 pounds overweight increases the force on the knee by 30-60 pounds with each step.

Assessing Your Risk of Developing Arthritis

If you are:

• a woman
• over the age of 60 and have used your joints in any type of repetitive motion for prolonged periods such as jogging, bending, stooping, lifting
• you’ve sustained a joint injury in an accident or fall
• you have a close relative with osteoarthritis
• you are or were overweight

Your risk of developing osteoarthritis is increased. 

If you are already experiencing joint stiffness, joint pain with movement or you wake up with joint pain in the morning, you may already have arthritis. Make a point to tell your doctor about these symptoms on your next visit. Pain and stiff joints are not just a normal part of aging that you must endure.

Causes of Osteoarthritis

Three things typically cause osteoarthritis. 

• Genetics
• What happens to you during your life
• How you live

Genetics is important in determining whether you get arthritis. If your parents or other close relatives have or had the disease you are more likely to develop arthritis. 

However, what happens to you during your life is also important because there is a relationship between your activities and developing arthritis. For example joggers, high school and professional athletes in high impact team sports (e.g. football) and people who have had joint injuries or fractures are more likely to develop arthritis later in life in areas that were injured. Also, repetitive bending, stooping and lifting in your day-to-day life can lead to cartilage loss and pain in the hips and knees.
 
Other aspects of how you live your life can impact the disease as well. If you are overweight or were overweight for a significant amount of time in your life, you are more likely to develop arthritis in the knees, back and hips from the pounding your joints took. Even if you were never overweight, played impact sports, jogged, had a broken bone or your close relatives never had arthritis, sometimes osteoarthritis hits people without a known reason. How do you know if you have or may get arthritis? You should assess your risk and assess your symptoms.

Types of Arthritis

There are more than 100 different types of arthritis, but most types have common features. You might be interested in the fact that even dogs can have arthritis. One in five adult dogs have the disease! Not surprisingly the symptoms between humans and dogs are the same. Here are a few of those common symptoms:

• Favoring a limb
• Difficulty sitting or standing
• Sleeping more
• Stiff or sore joints
• Hesitancy to climb stairs, run or jump
• Weight gain due to inactivity
• Decreased activity
• Attitude or behavior changes: might be more preoccupied or irritable due to pain

Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis, but first, let’s talk about normal joint construction. The normal joint has a covering of cartilage that is very durable and somewhat elastic. Cartilage is the soft bendable tissue that we can feel on our earlobes and nose. Cartilage provides a sort of shock absorber for our joints. It allows the ends of bones to move smoothly past one another without rubbing or grinding. After certain types of injuries the cartilage is destroyed and bone begins to rub on bone. When the ends of bone rub against each other, it causes osteoarthritis.

Osteoarthritis causes pain, loss of movement and stiffness and swelling in or around your joints. The pain of osteoarthritis is what makes it hard to move your body in the way that you rely on every day for taking care of yourself and your family. Movements such as stooping to pick up the newspaper, peeling back the lid of a medication bottle, opening a can of soup, washing your back or walking to the mailbox are painful and hard to do.

Introduction to Arthritis

Arthritis which is pronounced by many as Arthur-i-tis, is the nation’s leading cause of disability in Americans. It causes pain, loss of movement and sometimes swelling of the joints. Arthritis limits everyday activities such as walking, dressing and bathing and is one of the most prevalent chronic health problems in our population. 

The number of people who have arthritis is rising. In 1985 there were 35 million people with the disease. In 2006 that number was 46 million. A continued dramatic surge in arthritis is predicted, due to the Baby Boomer Generation’s increased awareness of the disease and greater likelihood of diagnosis. 

Chances are that you or someone you know has arthritis. A diagnosis of arthritis can change your life but it does not have to be as bad as you might think. One half of Americans who have arthritis do not think anything can be done to help them. 

In this blog series we will be offering some practical suggestions about how to manage the disease for those of you that have it, in order for you to make the most of your life. Future posts will cover the signs and symptoms of arthritis, so those who suspect that they have it can take action early. 

The Food Pyramid for Age 70 and Older

At age 70 and older, individuals inherently have unique dietary needs. Fewer calories are needed as typically you may be less physically active, and your metabolic rate does slow down. Although this may seem to indicate that you need to worry less about nutritious meals, research actually shows that you require the same or higher levels of nutrients to remain healthy and better
manage the signs and symptoms of any chronic disease. 

The food pyramid for older adults was created at Tufts University to represent these changes which most often occur at age 70. It has seven elements, all of which are equally important-the best visualization is a circus tent with seven gussets, if you will, all of which make up the body of the tent. 

The seven elements daily nutrition at age 70 and older are:
 
1) Whole, enriched and fortified grains and cereals such as brown rice and 100% whole wheat bread which are fiber rich

  2) Bright-colored vegetables such as carrots and broccoli

 3) Deep-colored fruits such as berries and melon

 4) Low and non-fat dairy products such as yogurt and low-lactose milk

5) Dry beans and nuts, fish, poultry, lean meat and eggs

6) Liquid vegetable oils and soft spreads low in saturated and trans fats

7) Fluid intake

To get these nutrients each day does not require access to fresh food-frozen, packages or bags of pre-cut vegetables and fruits work just as well. Note the last element, fluid intake. As we age, we gauge how thirsty we are less well. The importance of consuming enough fluids each day cannot be understated. This means not only water, but soups, vegetable juice and foods high in water content such as lettuce.
 
The pyramid for older adults does indeed look like a circus tent as it has a flag at the top. This unique visual is used on this food pyramid to suggest that older adults may need certain supplemental nutrients. The need for calcium, vitamins D, E and B12 increases as we age and it is often difficult to obtain these from food alone. The potential need to use supplements needs to be discussed with your doctor, especially with regard to the current medications that you take and any over-the-counter drugs such as antacids, herbal supplements or other vitamins.

Clearly the relationship between nutrition and our health continues throughout our lifetime, and changes as we age. An important factor for everyone is understanding our current nutritional health and any risk factors that we may have added by virtue of our lifestyle and the changes in our daily habits as we age. The first step to a healthy life and better managing any disease that we may have or develops is our diet. Take the first steps by assessing your nutritional health now.

So What is the Latest Information About Nutrition - How Well Do You Like Fruits and Vegetables?

In March 2007, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) launched a public health initiative to make us aware of the need for fruits and vegetables in our diet. The program was called "5 a Day "to encourage adults to eat five or more servings a day of fruits and vegetables or two to six and a half cups per day. This change also acknowledges that many people struggle with understanding the size of a serving, and so the new requirements are stated in cups. Below are some examples of how these new requirements can be simply met in our daily diets.
 
Morning:  
1 small apple (1 cup)  
 












1 small banana on cereal (½ cup)

Mid-Day:
1 cup of lettuce and ½ cup of other vegetables  

6 baby carrots (½ cup)

 









Evening: 
½ sweet potato and ½ cup of green beans (1 cup)

 






16 grapes (½ cup) 

"E"lder years above age 80

As age increases, the risks of frailty and health problems also increase. Checking your nutritional health regularly at age 80 and older is just good sense to continue a productive life.

"N"eed Assistance

Most older people are able to eat, but one of every five have trouble walking, shopping, buying or cooking food. If someone you know has trouble walking or standing for a long time, you know that they likely have problems shopping or cooking. If shopping is the problem, more and more stores now offer delivery of groceries to the home for a minimal charge. Shopping assistance-even transportation to and from the store may be available from a local senior center or home care agency that offers homemaker services in which these workers not only shop but can help with cooking.
 
If cooking is the problem, consider what meals you can microwave - including dinners already made that you can buy at the local store. Consider having meals brought to your home, there are a variety of services including Meals on Wheels which also offer special diets.

"I"nvoluntary Weight Loss/Gain

Losing or gaining a lot of weight – 10 pounds or more in the last six months – when you are not trying to, is a warning sign that you cannot ignore. See your doctor and understand why, before this condition slowly deteriorates your health.

"M"ultiple Medicines can be Trouble for your Appetite

Most adults over age 60 take some type of medicine for a health problem. Almost half of older Americans take multiple medicines – more than four per day. As we grow older our body changes in how it responds to drugs. The more medicine that we take, the greater the chance of side effects such as increased or decreased appetite, change in taste, constipation, weakness, drowsiness, diarrhea, nausea, and other symptoms. Our doctors should know every drug we take, including vitamins and minerals, as drug-food interactions are real as well as drug-drug side effects that can make eating an experience we want to avoid.

If you take four or more medications per day and you have little appetite, ask your doctor if the  medicines may be affecting your appetite or even causing taste problems (things just don’t taste they way they used to). Changing  medications can make a real difference, but you need to tell your doctor that there is a problem.

"R"educed Social Contact: How it Impacts Nutrition

One third of all older people in the US live alone. Older people who find themselves single after many years of living with another person may find it difficult to be alone, especially at mealtimes. It is not uncommon among the single or widowed population to lose interest in preparing or eating regular meals, or eat only sparingly. In a study published in the Journal of Gerontology, researchers found that newly widowed people, most of whom were women, were less likely to enjoy mealtimes, less likely to say that they had a good appetite and less likely to report good eating behaviors. Nearly 85% of those widowed reported a weight change during the two years following a spouse’s death; the average weight loss was 7.6 pounds. Most of the women
enjoyed eating and cooking before they lost their spouse, but as widows, cooking was now a ‘chore”. For many widowed men who left cooking to their wives, the problem was often worse. They often did not know how to prepare meals and instead snacked too often or ate out a lot, both of which lead to eating too much fat, sodium and cholesterol and not enough food with the vitamins and minerals needed.

The importance of this research only reinforced the earlier findings that eating alone often can put your nutrition at risk. For those widowed or who are long term caregivers of a sick spouse who can no longer share meals as in the past, an important intervention is eating with friends or family or participating in group meals at a senior center or church at least every few weeks. Being with people daily has a positive effect on morale, well-being and eating!

"E" Economic Hardship

As many as 40% of older Americans have incomes of less than $6000 per year. Having less and choosing to spend less as you see the prices rise in the grocery store, makes it very hard to spend $25-$30/week on food that will keep you healthy.

One program that targets the nutrition of low-income elderly is the Administration on Aging (AOA) Elderly Nutrition Program which offers a variety of nutrition services to the elderly throughout the nation. These programs provide for congregate and home-delivered meals, and each meal must provide at least 1/3 of the recommended dietary allowances established by government. Although there is no means test to be eligible, the over 4,000 such nutrition programs across the US primarily serve low-income elderly among those 3 million plus individuals who depend on the meals provided daily.

The Elder Nutrition Program is not just about getting nutritious food to the table, it is also about helping seniors access a range of services such as nutrition screening, assessment, and education to help an individual meet needs that may be threatening their independence. Volunteers and paid staff who work in the program have an important role in reporting any health or other problem that they learn of when delivering the meals or interacting at the congregate meal sites so that other community-based services such as homemakers, home health aide services, transportation or physical activity programs can be accessed and help to keep a senior at home and independent longer.

"T": Tooth Loss or Mouth Pain

A healthy mouth, teeth and gums are needed to eat many of the foods required for a nutritious diet. Missing, loose or rotten teeth and dentures that don’t fit well or which cause mouth sores make it hard to eat food such as meat, fresh fruits and vegetables, all of which have the nutrients you need each day

What to Do -Try Other Foods To Ensure Nutrition:

Instead of:Fresh fruit 
 

Try: fruit juices and soft canned fruit like peaches, pears or applesauce

 
Instead of: Raw vegetables 

Try: vegetable juices and creamed and mashed cooked vegetables 

Instead of: Meat 

Try: Ground meat, eggs, milk, cheese, yogurt, and foods made with milk such as pudding and creamed soups

Instead of: Sliced bread

Try: Cooked cereals, rice, bread pudding and soft cookies

Eating Poorly

The "E" in DETERMINE represents eating poorly. Eating too little and eating too much both lead to poor health.Our food and drink habits can put our nutrition at risk. Eating the same foods day after day, not eating fruit, vegetables and dairy products daily, skipping meals because you just don’t feel like it or you are too busy leads to poor nutrition. 

In addition to eating poorly, alcohol is another contributor to poor nutrition. One in four adults drink too much alcohol, which causes many health problems to become worse if the individual drinks more than one or two alcoholic beverages a day.

Disease the "D" in Determine

Disease - any disease, illness or chronic condition which causes you to change the way you eat or makes it hard for you to eat, puts your nutritional health at risk. Four out of five adults in this country have a chronic disease by age 55 that is affected by their diet. But it is not only diabetes and high cholesterol that affects what you eat and how often you eat; it is also confusion or memory loss that take their toll on our diet as we age. One out of five adults experiences memory loss or increasing confusion as they age, and they can actually forget to eat or cannot remember if they did. To ask a friend or family member whose memory loss or confusion seems to be increasing if they ate today and what they ate is a reasonable and important question. Finally, even mental conditions impact nutrition. Feeling sad or depressed happens to about one out of eight older adults, and these feelings can cause big changes in appetite, digestion, energy level, weight and well-being.

Using DETERMINE to Understand Nutritional Health

So what is nutritional health? The American Academy of Physicians, the American Dietetic Association and the National Council on the Aging have joined forces to provide a simple way to screen your nutritional health, using the word DETERMINE.

Disease

Eating Poorly

Tooth Loss or Mouth Pain

Economic Hardship

Reduced social contact

Multiple Medicines

Involuntary Weight Loss/Gain

Need Assistance

Elder years above age 80

Communicating with your Healthcare Providers

Communication between your healthcare provider is the first step in keeping you and your loved ones safe. The best way to do that is to ask questions until you fully understand the answers your healthcare provider is giving you.
 

Communication between your provider

• Ask your healthcare provider about your and other patients safety, and how communication between you two can be improved.

How to be more involved in your care

• Tell your healthcare provider you want yo be more involved in your care and ask them how you can help contribute.
• Find out the process for reporting errors within your healthcare provider.

Patient Safety Awareness Week

March 6th-12th is Patient Safety Awareness Week and during this week health care companies will be promoting the importance of analyzing, reporting and preventing errors with their patients medical care, as well as showing how important it is for their patients to revive the right care at the right time. Patients and families need to be aware of their health care needs and the best way to do that is to maintain your health and communicate with your different health care providers to make sure everyone is on the same page.

So Why Should You Care About Nutrition As You Age?

People are right when they think that the chronic diseases that they have now or the ones that develop as they age are influenced by poor eating habits when they were younger. For example if you have osteoporosis now, it was influenced by eating habits – especially calcium intake – and insufficient exercise during early adolescence and early adulthood. However, we also now know that nutrition in the later years can help lessen the effects of diseases common among older Americans such as osteoporosis, high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, certain cancers and gastrointestinal problems.

Studies demonstrate that a good diet in our later years helps to both reduce the risk of chronic diseases and to manage the diseases’ signs and symptoms. On the other hand, poor nutrition as you age can prolong recovery from illness and worsen the signs and symptoms of chronic disease.

Introduction to Nutrition and Aging

March is National Nutrition Month, and to help answerer people's questions about nutrition we will be posting information on the importance of nutrition and aging.

.   

You are not alone if you have questions about nutrition. The news each day seems to confuse us more than answer our questions. What is a healthy diet? If I already have high blood pressure, is what I eat going to make a difference? What really is the right size portion – we typically don’t carry scales with us. The good news is that once the hype is separated from the fact, there is strong, solid evidence about nutrition and how it impacts our life at 50, 80 and beyond.


Throughout the month of March we will answer these questions and more , so keep checking in to find out more about the importance of nutrition as you age.

Making Bath Safety Comfortable and Convenient

Here are a few tips to help make safety in the bath more comfortable and convenient for you or a loved one.

• Having a telephone or pull cord near the toilet allows someone who has fallen or having troubles the ability to call for help
• When looking for the best place to house a loved one keep in mind that the bathroom should ideally be in a direct path from the bedroom of the person in care
• The ideal height for the sink is 32”-34” from the floor
• Make sure there is enough room for two people to access the bathroom sink
• Make sure toilet paper is within an easy reaching distance, in order to avoid straining muscles (back) and to prevent falls 
• If needed add an elevated or raised toilet seat
• Place heat lamps in the ceiling, to provide warmth when exiting the shower

More Senior Bath Safety Tips

• Install guard rails around the toilet or use a portable toilet seat that has them built in.
• Make sure every sharp corner and edge is cover, preferably with some kind of rubber cushioning
• Make sure your electrical appliances have a ground fault interrupted (GFI) feature and/or install GFI outlets
• Don't use glass shower doors. If you do have them, they can be replaced with unbreakable plastic
• Don't use towel racks as a grab bar, install one around your vanity instead
• Be sure to have lights in your medicine cabinets in order to reduce that chance of making a mistakes while taking medicine.
• Make sure your hot water thermostat is set below 120° F.

Bath Safety Products

There are multiple products on the market today that are important in ensuring safety in the bath. Below is a list of some products that are useful in maintaining that safety.

Transfer bench: helps you get in and out of the bath safely.

Shower Stools : are seats in the shower that help prevent you from slipping.

 

Grab Bars (Safety Bars): are attached to the walls of the bathroom as well as on the sides of walk-in tubs. These help you move around in the bath safely, buy providing additional places to put your hands and stabilize your body.

 Security Rails : are hand-holds that are attached to the sides of the bath or toilet

Walk-in bathtubs : are accessible tubs which are easy to get in since they have a water tight door which allows you to access the bathtub. Once in, you sit on a raised seat while the bathtub fills up with water. They limit the need to climb over the edge of the tub to get in and out, thus helping to reduce falls.

Hand held showers : are shower heads which are mounted on the shower wall and can be detached for washing ones self while seated on a shower stool