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Home Modifications for Under $100

Julie Entwistle, MBA, BHSc (OT), BSc (Health / Gerontology)

There is a misconception that home renovations for safety or disability need to be expensive.  While this can be true for large-scale projects, there are some quick-fix modifications that are small, but pack a punch.  Here is my top 10 pick of modifications you can make for under $100.

Offset Door Hinges – if the doors of your home just seem a bit too narrow1, consider that the width of the door, when open, makes the door opening smaller than it is.  Consider purchasing some recessed hinges that will allow your doors to swing as wide as your door frame, giving you an extra few inches to get through with a walker, wheelchair or commode.
(www.adapativeaccess.com)

Drawer Pulls – if knobs are too difficult to grasp, consider swapping your kitchen and bathroom hardware for U shaped pulls that require less fine motor grasp and control to open.

Easy Grip Shower Head – handheld shower heads are great for allowing people to sit to shower, or to reach difficult areas without bending and twisting, but for people with a reduced grasp, I love these Easy-Grip shower heads from Moen.

Grab Bars – these don’t need to look industrial or institutional and many colors and configurations exist.  One strategically placed grab bar can help you get out of the shower / tub or even on / off the toilet.  Consider the multi-use line from Moen that has grab bars with built in soap or toilet paper holders to help save space.  5

Threshold Ramps – these small ramps are portable and make it easier to transition over small thresholds that are often present at entry doors.   (www.electro-ease.com)

Lever Door Handles – sometimes grasping and turning a door handle can be a problem for people with arthritis or who have issues with fine motor control.  Swapping out some door knobs with lever-style handles is a quick fix to help promote someone’s ability to open and close doors themselves.

Removing Shower Doors – often shower doors can get in the way as we get older.  While some people use them to grab and hold, these have a threshold and limit the ability to use a bench or seat in the shower.  Removing the shower doors and replacing these with a curtain provides more versatility for equipment, makes it easier for a caregiver to help you shower, and is easier to clean and maintain.

Railings – installing a basic railing on any stair is an inexpensive way to greatly reduce the risk of falling when going up and down.

Adhesive Shower / Tub Strips – easy to install, these anti-slip strips give you added protection from falling when you are getting in / out or standing in the shower / tub with bare feet on a wet surface. Strips are easier to maintain and clean than a standard bath mat and stick better to the bottom of the tub / shower.

Shower Seats – with or without a back, these sturdy and often height-adjustable seats allow people with reduced endurance or balance problems to sit when showering.  Sitting means less chance of falling, which can cause injury.  The smaller seats are easy to remove for other people who want to use the shower as well.

Do you feel you need a more custom approach to addressing how you manage your activities at home?  Consider the services of an Occupational Therapist as we are the functional experts!

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Are Kids Too Busy?

How busy is too busy for your kids? It seems that the extracurricular participation of kids in sports and the arts is increasing. Yet, for all this time out of the house, there is time lost for homework, play, proper meals, outdoor time and family. While keeping kids active and engaged in activities they enjoy is extremely healthy, this needs to be balanced appropriately based on the child and the resources of the family. The following from The Huffington Post discusses some key signs to look for if you are concerned that your child is overscheduled.

The Huffington Post:  10 Signs Your Kid is Too Busy

 

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Back to Routine, Back to Ergonomics

With the change in routine through the summer months, it is time to rethink about how we are sitting and working all day to make sure our body can adjust to the new routines that are devoid of summer vacation and summer activities.

In our previous posts, we have discussed using proper ergonomics to help support your back and neck.  Today, we look at how to reduce shoulder pain and related injuries.

Sloppy shoulders – are you guilty? Take a second to freeze at your desk and notice how your body is positioned. If you are like most people, your shoulders are slumped or rounded and you are bending over your desk. Many people’s work stations consist of their computer or laptop, keyboards, phone and mobile devices, requiring them to switch back and forth between devices while still spending extended periods of time in a seated, slumped position.

Being in this position for an extended period causes strain to the upper body, particularly the shoulders and upper back. At first, you may feel achy or tired in these areas, but this goes away at night or during days off work so it doesn’t impact your work performance. However, over time you may start to notice that your aches and pains begin earlier in the day, your muscles feel tight, and this starts to hamper you even when you aren’t at work. This impacts your productivity, quality of life and can lead to more serious and long-lasting injuries.

Here are some great tips to help address these issues before they start to impact your daily function, or if they do exist, to stop them from worsening:

• Lower your keyboard so your shoulders are not elevated when typing.

• Adjust your posture so you are sitting up straight in your chair, with your shoulders pulled away from your ears and your feet are flat on the floor with your knees directly over them.

• Alter your position so that you are not reaching forward to your keyboard or mouse.

• Adjust your chair so that your arms reach your desk at a 90 degree angle.

• Take regular breaks to stretch or stand up to relieve tension in your upper body.

• Stick out your chest to bring your shoulders back and down. Do this several times per day and hold this position.

Want more strategies to address pain at work? Check out our free e-book “Cost Effective Ergonomic Solutions” to learn additional strategies for addressing shoulder and upper back pain, among others, while you are sitting at your desk.

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Chronic Pain a Problem? Try OT

Co-written with Claire Hurd, Occupational Therapist

We have all, at some point, likely experienced pain.  A broken bone, sprained or strained joint, that killer headache, or even a long-term issue – pain prevents people from engaging in activities that are important to them, or at the least inhibits enjoyment and full participation in those things they want and need to do. It doesn’t matter if the cause of the pain is fully understood — the person’s experience of pain is what is important, and is what affects function.  As the role of an occupational therapist is to enable clients to engage in activities that they want, need, or are expected to do, OT’s have the capability to help individuals with chronic pain to better manage their lives. Occupational therapists have many tools they use to assist people in this regard.

Activities that require repetitive movements or a great deal of range of motion may exacerbate pain symptoms. Even if an occupational therapist cannot fix the source of pain, they can instead adapt how a person does an activity, or where they do it and with what equipment. Occupational Therapists know about different tools and devices that can be used to modified activities to improve comfort and prevent future disability, and we stay on top of the latest and greatest devices as these hit the market. Incorporating healthy body mechanics into an activity, whether or not this is assisted with equipment, may help to manage pain. Sometimes the order of steps in the activity can be changed to make it more comfortable. Making rest breaks part of the activity is also very important.

Fatigue often affects people with chronic pain and can be a barrier to planning or doing meaningful things. Occupational therapists are well-versed in energy conservation techniques and pacing strategies, which can not only improve fatigue but can also help to decrease pain symptoms. Energy conservation and pacing can sound simple, but it can be challenging to integrate new habits into one’s life; an occupational therapist can provide an individualized system and the support to stick to it and make it routine. Good sleep hygiene, which typically includes a bedtime routine as well as avoiding substances and activities which can interfere with sleep, is also important to prevent fatigue. What constitutes an effective sleep routine is also unique to each individual, and an occupational therapist can help you find what works best for you.

One of the most difficult consequences of chronic pain is often its’ effect on mental health. Occupational therapists trained in psychotherapy can provide counseling and teach emotional coping skills. They may also provide cognitive behavioural therapy, which helps clients to change their thoughts and behaviours, in this case related to their pain. Training in the skill of mindfulness can also allow individuals with chronic pain to change the way in which they are aware of their pain in the moment, and decrease an overall perception of it.

Chronic pain is best managed with prevention and early intervention. Occupational therapists can help you ensure that how you do your favourite activities does not cause or worsen pain and that you get to participate in those meaningful life roles (old or new) despite the pain. Everyone’s experience of pain is different, and you and your therapist will work collectively as you find solutions that help you manage your pain and work on the “solutions for living”.

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Weekly Mind Bender

Daniel, my son, is exactly one fifth of my age. In 21 years time, I will be exactly twice his age. My wife is exactly seven times older than my daughter, Jessica. In 8 years time, my wife will be three times older then Jessica. How old are Daniel and Jessica now?

 

 

Answer

Daniel is 7 years old and Jessica is 4 years old.

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Don’t Put Your Feet On the Dashboard

All passengers love to get comfortable on a long car ride.  I often see passengers in passing cars stretched out with their feet up on the dashboard.  Did you know this is a very dangerous thing to do?  Check out the following article which shows just how dangerous this can be.

She Was Just Putting Her Feet on the Dashboard — And It Was One of the Biggest Mistakes of Her Life

 

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Back to Routine, Back to Ergonomics

With the change in routine through the summer months, it is time to rethink about how we are sitting and working all day to make sure our body can adjust to the new routines that are devoid of summer vacation and summer activities.

In our previous post, we discussed using proper ergonomics to help support your back.  Today, we look at how to reduce neck pain and injuries.

Text Neck—are you guilty? A recent article in the two way by Laura Sullivan discusses the posture adopted by many people when leaning over a cellphone while reading and texting. This bad posture can put up to 60 pounds of pressure on the upper spine — sometimes for several hours a day, depending on how often people look at their devices.

And it isn’t just texting. Believe it or not, holding the upper body still and sitting in an upright position, as is required when spending time sitting at a desk for long times such as working at a computer, requires a lot of effort from our muscular systems. There is an invisible but constant battle against gravity to maintain the head in an upright position, at the optimum distance from the screen, combined with maintaining one’s arms in the proper typing position increases the static load on our body, especially the neck and shoulders.

The Institute of Work and Health reported that neck pain related to work is one of the most common complaints of working aged adults and in 2006 it was reported that injuries to the upper extremity account for 30% of lost-time claims in Ontario.

There are often some commonly occurring culprits in the office that lead to poor postures and over time, fatigued bodies and resulting neck pain. Some of these culprits include:

• Non-adjustable workstations

• Workstations that are not properly designed or not well suited to the individual

• Lack of knowledge and experience on how to set up and adjustable workstation properly according to the worker’s needs (being sure to consider the worker’s body and their job tasks)

• Unsuitable job design that requires workers to sit uninterrupted for longer than an hour at a time

The good news is that many of these issues can be addressed through prevention. Some great tips for adjusting work stations to prevent neck pain include:

• Making sure that your monitor is directly in front of you and does not require you to look to the side

• If your monitor is too low, raise it with a book or another solid object

• Use split screen to read two documents at once while reducing neck rotation

For more great suggestions on how you can address neck pain in the workplace, download our E-Book:  “Cost Effective Ergonomic Solutions” and check out past posts on Wellness in the Workplace.

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Healthier Take-Out Options

Convenience is king when it comes to dinner.  With busy schedules at work and at home many more are finding it hard to find recipes, shop for ingredients and prepare meals on a daily basis.  Back in the day we had only unhealthy choices, such as ordering pizza or hitting up the fast food drive through, but today there are much healthier options.  Check out the following from Shape Magazine on a new trend that’s making convenience healthier.

Shape Magazine:  Are Food Delivery Apps Making Us Slimmer?