Don’t Get “Tripped Up” In Your Own Home! Stay Safe!
Doesn’t everyone want to live as independently as possible at home? For most of us home is a personal collection of memories. It’s filled with our most prized possessions and comfortable belongings, but are we truly safe in this familiar place? Here are some tips from our Occupational Therapist to minimize your fall risk at home and keep you or your loved one safe:
• Consider using a bedside commode, tub seat, small bed rail, a walker tray or an ambulation device.
• Remove glass doors from the tub, hang a shower curtain instead.
• Organize kitchen items, grooming supplies and clothing in closets so that commonly used objects are within easy reach. Minimize the need to bend to get to drawers or to stand on toes to reach overhead.
• Remove the throw rugs.
• Get rid of clutter.
• Keep electrical cords out of pathways.
• Wear sneakers instead of slippers or sandals.
• Use nightlights to illuminate pathways.
• Carefully label and store medications.
• Install grab bars next to the toilet, in tub/shower or anywhere that you need extra stability.
• Keep a phone close by or wear an alarm.
• Rest when you feel fatigued!
• Install railings on stairways and stoops.
www.reddycare.net
Exercises And Activities To Improve And Maintain Fine Motor Skills
Doyougetfrustratedwhenyouattempt toputonyourfavoritenecklace,count pills, tie your shoes, manipulate coins or put the cap on the toothpaste tube? Hand function and fine motor skills begin to decline due to normal aging, arthritis and neurological diseases. Try some of these Occupational Therapy exercises to improve your dexterity at home. Don’t forget alternate hands for an extra challenge. • Manipulate coins: pick several in your hand one at a time and put them in a bank or small jar, one at a time. • Make a chain of paper clips. • Stack small blocks. • Practice writing your favorite poem, quote and name/signature. • Flip playing cards. Shuffle. • Flip pages in a book or magazine. • Complete jigsaw puzzles. • Manipulate pieces to board games; i.e. MasterMind, Perfection,
Monopoly, Chinese Checkers, Connect Four • Knit, Crochet, Sew. • Play computer/video games. • Fasten buttons on a shirt (can be on lap). Repeat several times. • Tie laces (can be on lap). Repeat several times. • Keep fingers extended and flat on a table. Open and close fingers while gathering a tissue or towel in between fingers. • Rip paper into pieces and crumple into small balls with fingertips. • Manipulate nuts and bolts. • Fill basin with raw rice and place objects in rice. Remove objects. • Crumple and flatten a piece of paper, paper towel, tissue. • Manipulate marbles • Stack checkers • Practice folding paper
WE ARE NOW PARTICIPATING WITH HEALTH FIRST!
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