Debra Maciel There are so many reasons why you might be tasked with caring for a loved one with mobility issues, but among the leading reasons are aging parents you’ve moved into your home or a family member who suffered injuries in an accident. Although you knew that you might need to make a few necessary changes in your home to accommodate their needs, you are looking for the most common aids and pieces of equipment that will make it possible for you to give them the care they deserve. The following four items are among the most common pieces of equipment you will need.
Hospital Beds
Not only is it difficult for some patients to move around in bed to find a position of comfort, but some are simply unable to lift themselves to a sitting position. This is where a hospital bed with pressure care mattresses like those found on medical-supermarket.com are also important. Not only will the bed’s ability to lift the head into a sitting position help but these pressure care mattresses will help reduce bed sores by evenly distributing pressure. They are simply assembled, plugged into a standard wall socket, and it’s a matter of letting electricity and technology do the rest! You can raise and lower the head or the foot of the bed so that your loved one can sit in comfort if necessary. They make life so much easier for you without needing to do all that heavy lifting to reposition them.
Reclining Chairs With Lifts
You can also find an assortment of reclining chairs that have a lift function. These tilt forward to make it a bit easier to get the ‘patient’ into a semi-standing position where they can simply turn a bit and then sit in the wheelchair awaiting them. The only time you may need to support their weight is during the moments when they are turning to get in position to sit again.
Shower Chairs
You have probably had a walk-in shower installed if you didn’t already have one. Here you will need a shower chair that they can be seated in. Again, the only time you will need to bear their weight is when turning them into position to sit again. The same holds true for getting them out of the shower once they are finished.
Stair Lift
Stair lifts are an ingenious bit of technology in that they can be hooked up to the patient’s wheelchair and then will lift them up a story with a pulley-type attachment that runs along the banister. You can walk alongside them as they are moved up the flight of stairs and then walk with them to the bedroom to get them situated comfortably in their hospital bed.
It stands to reason that they probably already have a wheelchair when they came to live with you, but if you are looking for a motorized chair, those can be compared online as well. It’s really all about finding ways to help them get around with a minimal amount of physical exertion on your part. Today’s technology makes it possible to care for loved ones with mobility issues such as those affected by age or illness instead of placing them in a care home. Since they will be more comfortable in the home of a family member, it’s good to know that the equipment is out there to make that possible.
