Flipping off the nursing home for Christmas

November 11, 2009 9:46 AM

My grandmother is sharp, independent, and in good health. but she's beginning to need a walker for long periods upright. What gift could help her function better around the house?

Mama L. has owned her own home, in her tiny town without a lot in the way of nursing services, for fifty years - and she's hoping to hold onto it for a while longer, anyway. There are catalogs full of telescoping grabber arms and such, but I'm hoping for your personal experiences with decreased-mobility friends and relatives. What helped? Is there some particular unexpected gadget or device that makes household chores less of a pain, when the user can't stand unassisted for long?

posted by ormondsacker to home & garden (21 comments total)

I spent something like 4 months in a back brace. "Mr. Grabby Stick" saved my life. I don't know the make off the top of my head, but a friend bought it at a home improvement store. The one's I have seen in drug stores are extremely inferior, but this is sturdy, has a very sensitive pincher arm (I can pick up dimes with it) with slight curves -- so you can grab cans and bottles.
posted by GenjiandProust at 9:55 AM on November 11 [1 favorite has favorites]

A kitchen table or low counter to sit at to do prep work comes immediately to mind. The OXO good grips line of kitchen utensils is wonderful for arthritic hands.
posted by Allee Katze at 9:58 AM on November 11 [1 favorite has favorites]

There are canes that have a seat built in to them.

Also, when my dad couldn't walk so well, and thus spent a lot of time in his recliner, he enjoyed having a tray next to him that was on wheels, like what you might have at a hospital. He could keep his glasses, water glass, TV remote, crossword puzzles, etc., handy, but be able to push it all out of the way when he napped in his chair, or needed to brace himself to stand up. The tray could be positioned directly over his lap, so he wouldn't need to twist to try and reach the end table.

There is a lady at my work who is using some sort of scooter-type thing that she kneels on. I can't seem to google up a link. She has a broken foot, so it may be more of a rehab thing then a limited mobility thing.

A basket on one's walker is useful to hold items while one maneuvers around.

Also - electric can openers.
posted by SuperSquirrel at 9:58 AM on November 11

Grab bars in the bathroom near the toilet, bath and shower. Make sure they are bolted to studs.

My dad started using a cane and now a walker a few years ago. He took a couple of bad falls in the bathroom and one really bad one in the shower which took a long time to recover from and made his mobility even worse so that finally overcame his resistance to having grab bars installed.
posted by jamaro at 9:59 AM on November 11

Also meant to add - my dad used a long telescoping reading light to position light exactly where he needed it, instead of relying on the dimmer light of the living room lamps. We investigated various lamps with magnifiers built into them, like your dentist uses. Check out a craft store like Hobby Lobby or JoAnn's. There were a little too pricey for us, so we went with a big handheld magnifying glass, and we switched out the bulbs in his reading light to brighter bulbs.
posted by SuperSquirrel at 10:02 AM on November 11

Oh yes, grab bars like jamaro suggests. AND GET A PROFESSIONAL OR KNOWLEDGEABLE HANDYPERSON TO BOLT THEM IN PROPERLY. Don't ask me how I know this. (Sorry, Mom!)
posted by SuperSquirrel at 10:04 AM on November 11 [2 favorites has favorites]

Gosh, sorry to be so flighty - jamaro suggested the stud thing. ::sigh::

Another suggestion for the shower - if she doesn't already have one, get her a handheld shower head. And maybe a stool specifically for using in the shower. My mom is quite happy with this setup, and I don't worry about her falling (quite so much).
posted by SuperSquirrel at 10:07 AM on November 11

My grandfather has trouble getting up out of low chairs, especially things like sofas and recliners. He got himself a nice-ish (leather, arms) desk chair and said it has revolutionized relaxation for him. Settling in for a nice sit is no longer a chore.

Maybe you can help with her bed- is it too high or low for her? Maybe she needs furniture to be moved around so she can park the walker more conveniently.

If you are nearby, go around the house and find places that are walker-inaccessible, and help her figure out a workaround. (Like the kitchen work-area suggestions.)

I've seen the cane that becomes a chair, but also the walker that becomes a chair, plus a little backpack attachment for stashing things like a purse. Seemed awfully useful and freeing- I can imagine needing a walker makes one acutely aware of needing to stay close to places that have seats. But not when you have your own right with you.

If she has a sense of humor about it, go to a bicycle store and get her some tassles for the handlebars and maybe a horn.

Help her find just the right height, wheel and rubber stopper settings. I can imagine the only thing more terrifying than needing to rely on a gadget to keep steady is when she can't trust the gadget. And a lot of walkers I've seen out there seem awfully rickety.

Maybe even go with her on some of her errands and help her feel comfortable with the environs- look for pitfalls that she might encounter and help with a solution. If she drives, or rides with someone, help her figure out how to stow the walker easily and safely.

And maybe talk with her and see if there are any places she has quit going to because the walk was too long or tiring or unsteady for her. Maybe the walker will help her get back to those places!

If she gets further along in being immobile, consider pitching in on a bathroom redo. Not only will you be able to get the grab bars installed, but if the walls are out, the proper reinforcement can be installed. And toilets, sinks and mirrors can be chosen that work best for her. And maybe change out the tub for a shower- they have sealing fabric now that you can put under the tile that makes unusual shower arrangements a breeze. You can create a walk-in shower that has no threshold and just pitch the floor toward the drain for water management.

Also, I've seen handheld shower setups where the "cord" comes out in the middle- lower than a normal shower, just above the faucet- and the holder is mounted on a vertical bar. The holder is height-adjustable, so it can be put in the most convenient place for her and others.

Sometimes the littlest things like these (ok, not gutting the bathroom) can make a huge difference in someone's life.

(Another odd thought- my grandfather recently had an abdominal aneurysm repaired. The doctor warned him to try really hard not to sneeze or otherwise exert himself. Except that my grandfather is a notorious sneezer having had allergies all his life. Instead of living in fear, he turned the heat up to 90, got about a thousand humidifiers and lived out that winter in tropical, sneeze free paradise.)
posted by gjc at 10:36 AM on November 11 [1 favorite has favorites]

A basket on the walker is very useful! You can't carry stuff in your hands while your walkering, so being able to put a book or whatever in a basket is important.
posted by The otter lady at 10:45 AM on November 11 [1 favorite has favorites]

It sounds like you should be concerned about falls. The 5 year mortality rate for elderly hip and pelvis fractures is as high as 60%. (meaning 5 years after the injury, 60% are dead) Does her house have many flights of stairs, or high thresholds? If possible try to get every daily need on one floor of the house. For example if the laundry room is in the basement, consider adding it to the kitchen, or buying a laundry service. Less trips up and down the stairs, less potential for falls.

Please, for the love of goodness, make sure she wears shoes with rubber soles at all times, or socks with rubber grips. Tape down any loose corners of rugs. Add contrasting grip tape at the edge of every step. For often trafficked hallways, consider adding padded mats and handle bars. For bathrooms, a shower seat can help for a while, but if there is a large step into the tub, consider getting a re-fit.

I don't mean to be debbie downer, but for someone with mobility issues, the simple fact is that your house can kill you, regardless of how sharp you are mentally. Today there are house floor plans that are considerate of these issues. Because of the issues my family has gone through with my grandparents, my parents who are only 57, are planing on building/buying one of these houses.

I know thats more than what you asked for, but ensuring safety and mobility within a home is a lot more than a single thing you can wrap and put under a tree. For a fun gift, I know lots of ladies love walker purses.
posted by fontophilic at 10:46 AM on November 11

Seriously, the best gift you can give her, if you can afford it, would be to have an occupational therapist come and do an audit of her current house and suggest changes and adaptive devices that would help her to live there safely.

The local Visiting Nurse Association or equivalent should be able to refer you to an occupational therapist.
posted by Sidhedevil at 11:04 AM on November 11

nthing SuperSquirrel on the rolling bedside/chairside tables. My grandparents had these and loved them.
posted by royalsong at 11:21 AM on November 11

A chair for the shower or tub. They allow easy in in/out. and a hand held shower head.
A higher toilet. You don't have to redo the whole bathroom to swap out the toilet.
A seat near the vanity. Something like a stool will do.
nthin the grab bars.
A lift seat recliner. Comfy chair goes up/down with a handheld remote (Pride is one manufacturer)
Remote switches for lamps. There are many forms, from the clapper to wireless remotes.
Changing door knobs to lever style.
posted by Gungho at 12:08 PM on November 11

Pilates classes or yoga classes to improve her strength and flexibility
posted by zia at 12:23 PM on November 11

fontopilic - It's a fairly small one-story home, no stairs.

I appreciate everyone's suggestions about renovations and home safety. Some of the relatives who live closer and see her more often have done a few things along those lines, and I've chipped in some money for that. I just know she's had a lot on her plate this year, and was hoping to add some individual personal gift that would be helpful. Good suggestions so far, like the portable stools and lamps. And Sidhedevil, that's actually a great idea on the occupational therapist. I don't know if there is one locally to her (this is a dinky rural community), but I'll have a look.
posted by ormondsacker at 12:31 PM on November 11

My grandmother loved her extra long shoe horn (about 2.5 feet) that helped her get her shoes on without bending over.
posted by nestor_makhno at 1:25 PM on November 11

When my grandmother had hip replacement surgery, I know she used her grabby stick (per above terminology) and shower chair. Probably still uses at least the shower chair. She's had an elevated toilet seat for quite a while, too.

From what you describe, the shower chair sounds like the one to get first.
posted by dilettante at 1:54 PM on November 11

My grandmother loved her extra long shoe horn (about 2.5 feet) that helped her get her shoes on without bending over.

Extra long shoe horn is a total win, but let me strongly caution you against the kind that have a spring thingy and toward the kind that are one long piece. If your grandmother has any grip issues, or if her hands are at all shaky, the spring thingy will be likely to be a disaster for her.
posted by Sidhedevil at 4:39 PM on November 11

Mr. Grabby Stick is made by Unger Global and is, if I am reading this correctly a "Nifty Nabber." I realize that you aren't all that excited by grippers, but it really saved my life when bending was virtually impossible and getting up and down from a seat a process requiring considerable attention and determination. It also works without a great deal of force (well, for lighter items at least), which might make it easier on older hands with possible joint issues.

Nthing bed height issues, which are getting to be a problem for my mother.
posted by GenjiandProust at 6:02 PM on November 11

A little addition to the long shoehorn. They sell elasticized laces that you put in shoes so that your able to slip your feet into the shoes without untying them. They look like ordinary laces.
posted by Taurid at 12:40 AM on November 12

Didn't see if anyone posted this suggestion, but my arthritic Grandma swore by her Jar Opener.
posted by HyperBlue at 2:31 PM on November 12