Try: #buy squishy balls and putty or play dough anywhere toys are sold #simply twisting rolling and pulling the play dough will exercise fingers and hands work the hands and fingers by rolling the play dough into ropes re-form and roll the play dough into several balls and then flatten the balls out to make pancakes #try making more complicated things out of the play dough shaping the substance into specific forms for example animals or other objects will exercise fine motor skills #buy a palm-sized ball with a squishy texture or consistency and hold it in one hand at a time squeezing the ball inward keep the ball at hand and do this exercise in free moments throughout the day #keep a couple of different-weight cans of vegetables on the table before or after a meal use one hand at a time to lift the lightest can off the table several times when lifting the can keep arms and elbows off the table try to build strength gradually moving from the lightest can to the one-pound can over several weeks or a couple of months

Materials: Putty or play dough squishy ball cans of vegetables with weights ranging from a few ounces to a pound

Categories: Medical Physical, Mobility, Mobile, Independence, No Supervision

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*This information is listed as a Tip and is not explicitly medically licensed

Try: #understand that for many crs the time between hearing loss and getting hearing aids can be about ten years gradual hearing loss is an easy condition to deny #hearing aids come in many varieties and many times crs who get fitted for them don’t get the right match the wrong hearing aid is unlikely to get used #if you or someone you know is losing hearing see an ear nose and throat specialist or go to a clinic that specializes in hearing loss do not go first to a clinic or store that primarily advertises itself as a hearing aid outlet #when speaking with a cr who has lost hearing and is not wearing a hearing aid try the following to clarify communication use a white board or notepad to back up what you say with notes rather than counting on the cr having understood important messages; get the cr’s eye or touch the cr before speaking; speak clearly to the cr but don’t over enunciate as over enunciating will make lip-reading difficult; stand in a well-lit place so the cr can see you as you speak and don’t try to have a complicated talk with the cr in a room with a lot of background noise

Materials: Family members and friends caregivers doctor hearing clinic assessment

Categories: Medical Physical, Hearing, Poor Hearing, Verbal Communication, Good Verbal Comm

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*This information is listed as a Tip and is not explicitly medically licensed

Try: Offer the cr drinks every couple of hours throughout the day avoid caffeinated and alcoholic drinks plan outside activities for the cooler parts of the day early morning and dusk and indoor activities during the hotter parts of the day encourage the cr to wear a hat and carry water when out during hotter parts of the day encourage the cr to dress for comfort inside the home on hot days wear light-colored loose-fitting clothing natural fibers such as cotton and silk are generally more comfortable than synthetics such as polyester on hot days cook early in the morning to avoid adding heat to the home when the day is hot prepare more frequent lighter and smaller meals if a cr blames the heat for a lack of appetite if the cr does not have air conditioning offer a cool damp towel for the cr’s neck or head go someplace air-conditioned if necessary such as a library indoor mall or movie theater when it it’s very hot sometimes a lukewarm but not cold bath or shower can be refreshing keep windows opened at night if safe to capture cool air but keep shades or curtains closed during the day if you are worried about the cr’s long term safety because of health and overheating in the house contact the city or local senior services centers to find out about programs that assist seniors to obtain fans or air conditioners if you suspect the cr has become overheated contact a doctor or emergency service for instructions as dehydration can be life-threatening

Materials: Fluids fan or air conditioner

Categories: Medical Physical, Mobility, Needs Some Assistance, Independence, Some Supervision

Information: n/a

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*This information is listed as a Tip and is not explicitly medically licensed

Try: #purchase rubber fingertip covers at an office supply store #put a fingertip cover over each of the cr’s fingertips #the fit of the fingertip covers may affect how easily the cr learns to handle the cards it may be necessary to look for larger or smaller fingertips covers than the ones originally purchased #picking cards up while wearing the fingertip covers may take some creativity and practice the cr may need to try picking the cards up from a side or the top and practice rolling the covered fingers over the cards while picking them up to create friction for lifting them from a tabletop it will take some experimentation to find what works best #assist the cr to practice picking up and handling the playing cards do a trial run of a card game or two to make sure the cr can do everything with the cards required in the games usually played with family or friends

Materials: 10 rubber fingertip covers used by secretaries deck of playing cards

Categories: Medical Physical, Social, Mobility, Mobile, Needs Some Assistance, Needs Much Assistance, Independence, No Supervision, Some Supervision, Maximum Supervision, Vision, Good Vision, So-So Vision

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*This information is listed as a Tip and is not explicitly medically licensed

Try: Look for plastic tumblers with handles facing each other and fitted lids some can be sipped from and some can have straws inserted into them originally designed for young children they are now available in sizes and colors for adults their lids minimize spills and their two handles allow crs with hand tremors to use both hands to steady the cup locate these cups in adaptive and assistive equipment supply catalogs developmental disability resource catalogs and some local department stores although small ones are often located in the children’s dishes section select those in neutral colors if available rather than in children children’s patterns or graphics

Materials: Two-handled plastic cup with fitted lid

Categories: Medical Physical, Personal, Mobility, Needs Some Assistance, Independence, Some Supervision

Information: n/a

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*This information is listed as a Tip and is not explicitly medically licensed

Try: #while lying back the cr bends both knees with feet flat on the bed and rolls onto left side #the cr brings both knees toward the floor while using the right hand and left elbow to push against the bed moving the trunk to an upright sitting position on the edge of the bed #when seated upright the cr pulls the back of the left leg and foot against the side of the bed while moving the right foot to about six inches away from the bed #the cr then places a wrist by the side of each hip pushing down on the bed and simultaneously coming up to a standing position #having the left leg against the bed while coming to a standing position will reinforce stability while a caregiver assists with a gait belt

Materials: Patience to move more slowly and carefully

Categories: Medical Physical

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*This information is listed as a Tip and is not explicitly medically licensed

Try: #buy a pill box with seven compartments at any drug store write evening medications on it in a visible spot using the permanent marker #some pillboxes come with alarms that can be set to go off at specific times consider using this type of pillbox if the cr’s hearing is good and confusion is low otherwise set an alarm clock to go off in the evening in the area where the cr is likely to be keep the pillbox and a source of water nearby #skip an alarm if you can link evening medications to a nightly task the cr is already in the habit of doing such as brushing teeth removing dentures making a last trip into the bathroom before heading to bed or turning off a bedside lamp before closing eyes make sure the pillbox and a cup of water with crackers if necessary are within view and reach of the cr while the other task is performed

Materials: Pill box with 7 compartments one for each day of the week permanent marker small alarm clock if needed

Categories: Medical Physical, Mobility, Needs Some Assistance, Cognitive Awareness, Fully Aware, Somewhat Aware, Long-Term Memory, So-So L T Memory, Short-Term Memory, So-So S T Memory, Poor S T Memory

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*This information is listed as a Tip and is not explicitly medically licensed

Try: #keep everything a cr needs to take medications during the day organized and together pills cup directions etc #link the routine of taking medication to routines that are already part of the cr’s day schedule pill-taking around daily activities such as breakfast lunch a regular nap or walk for example if a pill is taken before a meal encourage the cr to come to the table 10 minutes before lunch take the pill and stay until lunch this will closely tie the new routine of pill-taking to the old routine of eating lunch #if the cr has memory problems work with the cr’s doctor to plan a medicine schedule that can be worked as naturally as possibly into the cr’s existing routine #if routines do not exist caregivers can create or work toward regular schedules for meals medication sleep and bathroom visits #if the cr is home alone during the day consider using an alarm clock pillbox with alarm or alarm linked to a phone or small gadget to remind the cr it is time to take meds #consider creating a checklist with the week’s medication schedule laid out make multiple copies keep one copy with the medicines a cr who is physically and cognitively able to can check off each dose as it is taken this will help the cr and caregiver keep track of how well medications are being taken

Materials: Caregiver routine to link medication to alarm clock if necessary

Categories: Medical Physical, Mobility, Needs Some Assistance, Independence, Some Supervision, Long-Term Memory, So-So L T Memory, Poor L T Memory, Short-Term Memory, So-So S T Memory, Poor S T Memory

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*This information is listed as a Tip and is not explicitly medically licensed

Try: #keep fire extinguishers on hand in visible places in high-risk locations such as the kitchen #minimize risk of fires by avoiding use of extension cords not overloading circuits monitoring smoking and cooking safety of the cr and making sure flamable chemicals and rags soaked with them are stored and disposed of properly casual disposal of toxic rags is a leading cause of fires as are stoves left unattended with food cooking on them and cigarette-related accidents #make sure the home is stocked with smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors and that these are in working order #consider the quickest ways a cr could exit the home in case of fire discuss and rehearse the plan with the cr practice exiting as you would in case of a fire to make sure the caregiver and cr know how to get out quickly and where to meet when they are out of the home #have a plan for escaping a fire that matches a cr cr’s ability a cr who uses a wheelchair or walker may not have time to exit through a doorway so an alternative plan might involve exiting through a window however opening a window or screen or breaking it safely if necessary may need to be rehearsed #a cr who relies on a caregiver for assistance to move should seriously consider wearing a safety-alert button around the neck at all times this will allow the cr to contact emergency personnel the minute a crisis occurs

Materials: Smoke detector fire extinguisher exit routes of home that the cr can take fire prevention activity

Categories: Medical Physical, Mobility, Needs Some Assistance, Fully Aware, Long-Term Memory, Good L T Memory, Short-Term Memory, So-So S T Memory

Information: n/a

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*This information is listed as a Tip and is not explicitly medically licensed

Try: #assemble the equipment and tell the cr what you are going to do #with cr lying on his or her back place the towel partially under the cr’s left side extending out to protect the bed #partially fill the basin with warm water and place it on a towel on a bedside table or chair don’t put the basin on the bed #put on gloves #remove the old dressing gently from around the feeding tube and discard in the trash #put the washcloth in the warm water wring it out put some soap on it and work up lather #gently clean around the opening of the tube at the skin and two or three inches up the tube removing all the old crusted material #make a note of any redness drainage or odor #completely dry the skin around the tube #apply a small amount of ointment around the area where the tube exits the abdominal wall #place the pre-made opening in the gauze on each side of the tube if not there isn’t a pre-made opening open the gauze and using clean scissors make a cut halfway through the gauze about two inches #secure the gauze on all 4 sides to the abdomen with the paper tape #remove the towel from beneath the cr empty the basin and clean up the area #clean and store the materials for the next time

Materials: Soap gentle liquid soap such as baby shampoo clean basin warm water clean washcloth 2 towels sterile 4 x 4 gauze 2 – 4 packages precut to fit tube if possible medicinal ointment recommended by physician 1 roll of 1 paper tape clean exam gloves latex and non-latex gloves are sold in dollar stores and drug stores clean scissors reserved for clipping gauze bandages plastic shoebox with lid for keeping scissors gloves tape and gauze in

Categories: Medical Physical, Personal

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Keywords: n/a

*This information is listed as a Tip and is not explicitly medically licensed