Monthly Archives August 2015

If you’re bound to a wheelchair, you may feel discouraged when it comes to making summer travel plans. However, you can certainly expect to have a fun-filled vacation if you simply do your research ahead of time. Here are the top tips for traveling with your wheelchair.

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Call Ahead

• Look into wheelchair accessibility: Wherever you travel, you need to choose an airline, hotel and transportation services that accommodate guests in wheelchairs. This means calling up each location you plan to use during your travels – including airports, hotels, shuttle services, cruise lines and ferries – and inquiring about elevators, ramps and airlift assistance.
• Ask about medical equipment restrictions: This applies particularly to airlines, which may have restrictions r...

If you have a respiratory condition that interferes with your daily activities, your health care provider may recommend you start using oxygen. Higher blood oxygen levels help ensure every tissue and cell in your body gets the oxygen it needs to function properly.

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You may end up keeping oxygen cylinders at your home where proper storage is important for safety purposes. Oxygen is a volatile substance, and when exposed to heat and a flammable material, your cylinders could start a fire. The following tips for storing oxygen cylinders help ensure you keep your home and family safe.

• Keep your oxygen cylinders in a cool place...

If you have type 2 diabetes, monitoring your blood sugar, or blood glucose, is an important part of managing your condition. Many at-home glucose meters are available today. How do you go about picking the right glucose meter for your needs? Follow these tips to help you get started.

What are Blood Glucose Meters?

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These small, computerized devices measure and display your current blood sugar level. Even with so many different brands and models to choose from, they all work in basically the same way: a small lancet pricks your finger and applies a drop of blood to the meter’s test strip. An electrical current flows through the sample and measures the level of sugar in your blood. This measurement is displayed almost instantly on the digital readout.

The bathroom may be the place to pamper yourself with a bubble bath or hot shower, but it’s actually among the most dangerous rooms in the house. Slippery floors, scalding water and hard surfaces make the bathroom especially dangerous for seniors who have lost some mobility. If you have an elderly loved one who has decided to keep living at home as they age, follow these bathroom safety tips for seniors to keep the room a relaxing oasis instead of a danger zone.

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Install Anti-Scald Devices

Nerve damage, medications or certain medical conditions may make it difficult for seniors to tell if the water is too hot. This can result in scalding burns at the faucet and in the tub...