Arkansas Spina Bifida Fall Family Fest
October 21, 2009 by admin
Filed under Construction, Evaluation and Services, Wheelchair Access Arkansas
For more information See: Accessibility Arkansas
We want to invite anyone who will be attending the Spina Bifida Fall Family Fest this Saturday, October 24, 2009, to stop by our booth. We look forward to the opportunity to meet with you and find out how we can help you, your family members, caregivers, healthcare professionals face the challenges of living with Spina Bifida.
There will lots of other folks there as this year they expect 100-125 different exhibitors. Come see us while you are there! Here’s the scoop:
Date: Saturday, October 24, 2009, 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Location: Camp Aldersgate, 2000 Aldersgate Rd., Little Rock, AR (501-225-1444)
Also, if you visit our booth and find out about our coupon code, we will give you a discount coupon code which you can use for your purchase of and/or installation of any of our services. For more information about the event you can visit: www.spinalcord.ar.gov
Ergolet In Arkansas
August 23, 2009 by admin
Filed under Aging In Place Arkansas, Evaluation and Services
For more information See: Accessibility Arkansas
Ergolet known for their lifts, hoists, stands, chairs, track systems and patient trolleys is now carried and installed by Cook and Son Construction. This innovative way to care for those immobilized is truly making possible independent living for those who do not wish to be in nursing homes or other care facilities. Loved ones who may not have the strength to lift those they care for are still able to care for them at home with the help of these aids.
Their newest product introduces a new high-capacity patient lift. With a 600 lb capacity, the Luna 600 overhead lift can be used either as a ceiling mounted or portable lift to help healthcare workers and home caregivers handle heavier patients.
“Our research is revealing an alarming number of severe, career-limiting injuries suffered by nurses and other healthcare professionals,” said Molly Donaldson, Ergolet’s North American Dealer Services Manager. “We want to dial down the problem in the medical industry where healthcare professionals and caregivers are turning into patients themselves – with spinal injuries, muscle strains and low back injuries.”
Donaldson said injuries are on the rise because caregivers doing the lifting often can’t lift with their legs while leaning over a bed, coupled with increasingly heavy patients.
“We want to help people in healthcare protect themselves – and their employers – by using biomechanics to lift patients instead of trying to use brute strength,” Donaldson said.
She said the Luna 600 provides comfort and confidence for both the patient and the caregiver by providing a smooth lifting motion. She said other aspects of the Luna 600 include the psychological advantage of its aesthetically-pleasing design and its ability to service multiple rooms.
“We want to enable safer conditions for caregivers along with greater dignity and comfort for patients through the use of the Luna 600 and our other lift products,” Donaldson said.
Ergolet markets patient aids such as lifts, hoists, stands, chairs, track systems and patient trolleys into the medical and independent living categories. The company, founded in 1973, has a strong market presence among hospitals, senior care facilities and clinics, particularly in Europe. Ergolet has a heritage as an innovator, with a bias for new ideas and designs.
Ergolet E-Track Alternative To Other Arkansas Tracking Systems
August 23, 2009 by admin
Filed under Aging In Place Arkansas, Evaluation and Services
For more information See: Accessibility Arkansas
Don’t look at the ceiling and wonder how you’ll install an overhead track for a patient lift. Instead, look at the wall. Whether it’s plaster, gypsum board, concrete block or another material, chances are that it will be the best place to install a patient lift system using E-Track by Ergolet, according to Byron White, who manages technical services for Ergolet.
White said E-Track, installed along opposite walls in a room, is a strong, versatile foundation for moving a patient. It’s named for its unique profile (see inset diagram). A telescoping traverse bar fits into the E-Track and carries the Luna, Ergolet’s motorized lift.
“Ergolet’s first concern is always safety – both of the individual being moved and the caregiver,” White says. “With a wall-mounted overhead lift, safety is enhanced because the E-track can reach to any part of the room to assist the individual to and from bed, floor, wheelchair or bathroom.”
With E-Track and a Luna, a lone attendant can safely lift the individual using the remote handset, White pointed out.
“In a home, hospital or care facility, E-Track is a highly versatile mobility solution because the Luna lift can easily be moved to any room equipped with E-Track and an individual can be moved anywhere in a given room with ease,” he said.
Especially in a home setting, with E-Track on the wall, the way a room is furnished can change with the patient’s changing needs. In contrast, a fixed ceiling track provides far fewer options, White continued.
He said ceiling installation of tracks can be difficult and expensive. Sometimes, with vaults, expensive finishes, false ceilings, and other obstacles, there’s simply no good way to install a ceiling track. Or cost-prohibitive bracing and ceiling reinforcement may be required. Because E-Track is installed on the wall, it simply doesn’t matter what type of ceiling is in the room, he explained.
“Our representatives can help evaluate the right configuration of E-Track, and our trained installers can quickly and easily install it. Because E-Track is installed on a room’s walls, there is reduced time and disruption compared to ceiling track installation. The ease-of-installation makes retrofitting a room simple,” White said.
Arkansas CAPS Certified Aging In Place Specialist
August 4, 2009 by admin
Filed under Aging In Place Arkansas, Evaluation and Services, Wheelchair Access Arkansas
For more information See: Accessibility Arkansas
Arkansas CAPS certified aging in place specialist is a phrase that means a construction worker is certified to modify homes and other structures for aging in place needs. If aging in place is a new phrase for you it simply means making homes equipped for those who are older and choosing to stay in their homes rather than going to care facilities. It include the addition of grab bars, door widening for wheelchairs, wheelchair ramps and lifts and various other modifications to accommodate the elderly in their homes.
Kitchens and bathrooms in particular need special attention so those in wheelchairs can reach things, use sinks and counters and access showers or baths.
A certified aging in place specialist knows just exactly how to not only widen the doors or hallways, but the angles required to turn into rooms, or to maneuver in other ways in wheelchairs. This residential remodeling industry is growing.
A Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS) can assist you with planning and making changes to your home that can help you continue to live there as you get older. CAPS professionals have the answers to many of your housing questions and problems. They have been taught the strategies and techniques for designing and building attractive, barrier-free living environments.
Wheelchair Accessible Bathrooms – 5 Necessities For Easy Access
July 30, 2009 by admin
Filed under Bathroom Accessibility Modifications, Wheelchair Access Arkansas
For more information See: Accessibility Arkansas
There are millions of people all over the world with many types of disabilities. Several of these disabilities make it extremely difficult for wheelchair-bound individuals to gain access to the necessities they need – particularly bathrooms
Bathrooms can pose extreme barriers for disabled people and can make an ordinarily simple task time consuming, frustrating and often impossible.
Creating a wheelchair accessible washroom – whether for residential or commercial purposes – has become more and more popular. If you’re thinking of creating a new wheelchair accessible washroom – or updating an existing bathroom to accommodate wheelchairs – there are several things you’ll want to consider.
1. Doorway Widening. Before you even consider the wheelchair bathroom accessories, you need to make sure a standard wheelchair can fit through the door of your washroom. A standard wheelchair is 24-17″ wide. A wheelchair accessible bathroom doorway should be a minimum of 32″ wide.
2. Grab Bars. Safety grab bars make it easier and more convenient for wheelchair bound individuals to gain appropriate access to all areas of the bathroom. Installing grab bars next to the toilet and near bathing areas and inside showers and tubs is essential. You may also want to consider installing grab bars behind the toilet and installing roll-under sinks and vanities.
3. Accessible Showers and Bathtubs. Residential washrooms where one or more of the residents (or even a close family member who visits often) should be converted to accommodate wheelchairs. Roll-in showers and walk-in bath tubs are a great way to make the showering process easier.
4. Tilted Mirrors and Accessible Cabinets. Wheelchair accommodating washrooms should definitely have at least one tilted mirror for disabled individuals. There’s no sense building an entire washroom for easy wheelchair access if you’re going to leave out the mirror. As we mentioned before, roll under sinks and counters are also very accommodating for wheelchair-bound individuals.
We hope our tips have helped and we’re happy to hear you’re taking the time to research the necessities of a wheelchair accessible bathroom. It’s not an easy task, but it’s worth the work in the end.
Rhonda Splinter has been helping disabled individuals with accessiblity issues for many years. She specializes in designing wheelchair accessible shower stalls. In her spare time she shares her knowledge with the readers of TheWheelchairSite.com.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rhonda_Splinter
