If you are taking care of a family member who depends on a wheelchair, then you should equip your home with a few things that will help you to care for them in a safer and easier manner. Once you get your home set up correctly, you can make a better environment that works out well for the both of you. This article will introduce you to some pieces of equipment that can make all the difference to how you care for your loved one.
Install a stair lift
If you have a two story house and there are times when the person you care for will need to go upstairs, then you want to have a stair lift installed. You can help them get in the stair lift and it will take them up and/or down the stairs where you can meet them again and help them get back into a wheelchair. Without a stair lift, the only way to get them from floor to floor will be to maneuver them up and down in the wheelchair, which is very difficult, as well as dangerous.
Install a large, walk-in shower
It's very important you help the person in your care stay clean. While sponge baths will help to keep them clean daily, they should still be given a full shower on a regular basis. If they are able to get up from the wheelchair with your help, then they can sit in a shower chair to shower. If it's very hard to get them out of the chair, then you can shower them in the wheelchair. Either way, you need to have a large shower that doesn't have a tall side they will need to get over.
You should also have a handheld showerhead in the shower. This will make it much easier to help them get a complete shower. Make sure there is enough shelving on the wall of the shower so all their cleaning supplies are easily accessible.
Get a handicap lift
If your loved one isn't able to get themselves into the wheelchair, then you should get a handicap lift. This is a lift that you can use to move them from one place to another. You will put material under them and the material has hooks on each side of it and a lever. These hooks will attach to a secure stand that has wheels. You will hook the material to the device and use the lever to securely lift them. Then, you can wheel them to their chair, bed or anywhere else you need to take them.
By getting the equipment in this article, you will have an easier time taking care of your wheelchair-bound loved one and decrease the chances of accidentally injuring them. Contact a company like Jay Hatfield Mobility for more information.
Share29 December 2015
A need for medical equipment comes with a plethora of decisions. Where do you get the supplies? Can you buy the equipment you need cheaper if you buy it in bulk? Will your medical insurance cover the cost 100 percent or will you have to pay some out of pocket expenses? Having gone through this for the past eight years, I have learned a lot about how to get the best possible price on quality equipment for caring for my husband. This blog will show you how to go about buying what you need at the least expense to you and your family.
