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Pacific Mobility Center

Stairlifts - Lifts - Mobility Products

Jeff Conner

How Important is Sleep as you Age?

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No matter your age, sleeping well is essential to your physical and emotional well-being. In fact, many physicians consider a person’s sleeping habits to be a valid barometer of his or her overall health. Sleep allows the body to repair any cell damage that may have occurred during the day; it refreshes the immune system and helps prevent disease. Sleep is also important for keeping the mind sharp, improving both concentration and memory.

While sleep requirements vary from person to person, most children and adolescents need more sleep than young and middle-aged adults. However, older adults generally begin to need more sleep as they age – from seven to nine hours per night. Unfortunately, many older adults often get less sleep than they should for a variety of reasons.

One reason is that as we age, our bodies tend to produce and secrete lower levels of melatonin, the hormone that promotes sleep. But age alone does not cause the majority of sleep problems; instead the following are the most common causes of insomnia and sleep problems in older adults:

  • Poor sleep habits – irregular sleep hours, consumption of food or alcohol before bedtime, falling asleep in front of the TV
  • Pain or medical conditions – having to urinate frequently, arthritis, asthma, diabetes, heartburn, hypertension, menopause, Alzheimer’s disease
  • Medications – combinations of certain drugs, as well as their side-effects can impair sleep
  • Lack of exercise – being too sedentary can cause one to either never feel sleepy, or conversely, to feel sleepy during the day
  • Untreated stress or psychological disorders – anxiety, sadness, or emotional trauma can keep one awake
  • Physical sleep disorders – snoring and sleep apnea occur more frequently in older adults

And sleeplessness, itself, can cause a variety of other problems, some of them merely annoying, like excessive daytime sleepiness, and some of them more serious, including an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, weight problems, and breast cancer in women.

While some changes in an older person’s sleep habits, such as wanting to go to sleep earlier in the evening and waking up earlier in the morning are considered normal and non-problematic, other changes may suggest a sleep disorder that needs to be addressed. Common symptoms that should be checked by a physician include:

  • Having trouble falling asleep even though you feel tired
  • Having trouble getting back to sleep when awakened
  • Not feeling refreshed after a night’s sleep
  • Feeling irritable or sleepy during the day
  • Having difficulty staying awake when sitting still, watching television, or driving
  • Having difficulty concentrating during the day
  • Relying on sleeping pills or alcohol to fall asleep
  • Having trouble controlling your emotions

There is no reason for an older adult to forego a good night’s sleep simply because he or she is aging. Because regular sleep patterns are so important, in order to maintain good health, vitality, and emotional well-being, older adults should attempt to practice those habits that promote the necessary and uninterrupted hours needed by mind and body. These include:

  • Limiting caffeine intake late in the day
  • Avoiding alcohol before bedtime
  • Avoiding big meals or spicy foods before bedtime
  • Minimizing liquid intake before sleep
  • Exercising regularly
  • Limiting mental stress and worry as much as possible, especially at night
  • Remembering to get some sunlight during the day (bright sunlight helps regulate melatonin production and the body’s circadian rhythms, or sleep-wake cycles)
  • Keeping the bedroom cool, dark, and quiet
  • Developing sleep-inducing bedtime rituals such as taking a warm bath, listening to calming music, or practicing stress management techniques, such as deep breathing, meditation, getting a massage, or engaging in sexual activity
  • Limiting the use of sleeping aids and pills
  • Talking with a therapist to deal with emotional trauma or depression

Getting a good night’s sleep and maintaining a regular sleep pattern is something all folks should strive toward accomplishing. The benefits are well worth all of us taking the time to review our sleep habits. Sleep Well!

Slings

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A sling is an item that, when used in conjunction with a mechanical lift, helps to facilitate the transfer of an individual who is mobility-challenged. A sling is comprised of a specially designed and constructed piece of fabric that is placed under and around its user, and then attached by hooks, clips, straps, chains, or loops to the appropriate part of the lift mechanism in order to raise, move, and/or lower the person in it. A sling lift allows patients to be transferred safely while decreasing the risk of injury to the caregiver.

There are many different types of slings that can be attached to different types of lifts, such as floor lifts and overhead lifts, in order to accomplish different tasks. So when choosing a sling, it is necessary to establish its compatibility with the lifting system to which it will be attached, how it will be used, and the frequency of the transfer task desired. For example, a sling that is to be used for toileting will require a commode opening, while bariatric slings are designed for very heavy people.

Some basic types of slings are the Universal Sling and the Hammock Sling. The Universal Sling is also known as the “Quick Fit Sling” due to the ease of application, or the “Horseshoe Style Sling” due to the large horseshoe shaped opening created by the leg straps. The Hammock Sling design is also known as the “Split Leg Style” sling due to its small “L-Shaped” leg straps. The Hammock Sling is acknowledged by professionals as one of the most comfortable and supportive sling for both home and institutional use.

Some specialized kinds of slings are walking slings, standing slings, amputee slings, quadriplegic slings (contain additional head support), showering slings, re-positioning slings (for turning or sliding patients in bed), disposable slings (for enhanced infection control), and stretcher slings (for supine transfer).

Just as it is important for the sling to fit the task it is intended to accomplish, it must also precisely fit its user. Having the correct-sized sling ensures that the person being lifted feels safe and comfortable. Thus, a professional assessment of the user’s size, weight, and medical condition is absolutely necessary. In addition, the user’s caregiver must feel confident that he or she can safely employ the sling and the lift to which it is attached. Some slings are more complicated than others and a caregiver may be reluctant to use a sling if the process of fitting it is too complex. Nurses and Certified Nursing Assistants often receive specialized training in order to use slings and lifts safely and effectively.

A sling is made of fabric, and as such, it can wear out or get torn. Because a sling failure can have catastrophic consequences, the condition and integrity of a sling should be visually inspected prior to each and every use. Possible factors affecting the condition and lifespan of a sling include: client weight, frequency of use, frequency of laundering, washing and drying methods, washing and drying temperature, detergent used, disinfectant used, and any misuse it has experienced.

Choosing the right type and size of sling is crucial for the health and safety of its user and his or her caregiver. The professionals at Pacific Mobility can help you understand how different slings work and which one may be your most appropriate choice. Call or visit us for a free consultation.

Making Your Multi-Story Home More Accessible

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Seniors or individuals with mobility challenges may find living in a multi-story home difficult. Getting up and down stairs can be impossible for some, while potentially dangerous for others. And moving to a one story house or a senior living facility may not be an option for a variety of reasons. If it becomes necessary or preferable for an individual disabled by age, infirmity, or accident to stay in a multi-story abode, there are practical and affordable solutions.

The easiest and least expensive option, if practicable, would be to simply relocate all multi-floor activities to the ground floor. Of course, that would require that the ground floor be made convenient for eating, sleeping, bathing, and all the other normal activities of daily life. Minor modifications may need to be made, such as widening doorways, making a downstairs bathroom more usable, etc. But in terms of difficulty and expense, it is certainly the most cost-effective and convenient way for a disabled person to remain in his or her multi-story home.

However if living exclusively on the ground floor is not possible, then it may become necessary to investigate how the home can be adapted in order to provide safe access between floor levels. The three most common alternatives are residential elevators, stairlifts, and inclined platform lifts. Each option has advantages and disadvantages, but if employed correctly either one can help keep a mobility-challenged person in his or her own home.

A residential elevator is a lift that is enclosed in a shaft and travels vertically between floors. Elevators can range from an unfinished platform to a fully- enclosed cabin with safety gates and a finished interior. Residential elevators are either cable operated or hydraulically powered. They are typically used when the vertical change between two or more floor levels is significant and there is not enough room in the house to install a usable stairlift or ramp. There must, however, be enough room in the house to accommodate the needed shaft space.

A stairlift consists of a seat that travels up and down a stairway on a track or rails mounted either on the surface of the stairs or on an adjacent wall. stairlifts can be installed on most stairways and come in a wide array of sizes and styles. They are fairly easy to retrofit into existing homes and are considerably less expensive than elevators – especially if the staircase is a single straight run. They require a clear floor space at the top and bottom of the staircase so that the user can get on or off, and they will reduce the usable width of the stairs – a particular concern if the staircase is narrow to begin with.

Inclined platform lifts consist of a platform that moves up and down over an existing stairway. They are usually employed by people who use wheelchairs, but some models incorporate a fold-down seat for people who do not use a wheelchair but have difficulty using stairs. The platform is typically supported by rails that are mounted to a wall on one side of the staircase. Platforms on stairlifts come in various sizes, but they are always much wider and larger than seated stairlifts and thus need more room at the top and bottom of the staircase, as well as enough headroom throughout the entire traveled distance. They are easier to install and less expensive if the staircase is a single, straight run. There are platform stairlifts available that will turn corners on curved staircases, but they require wider staircases to accommodate the platform as it turns and are far more expensive.

We understand that staying in the home you love is important to your overall well-being. If you need expert advice on the most appropriate and affordable option for your multi-story home, the professionals at Pacific Mobility are always available for a free consultation. Call or visit us, today.

Driving Adaptations

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In this day and age, travelingby automobile is virtually a necessity for the majority of American adults. Most of us use our cars daily to commute to and from work, to go shopping and complete other chores, to chauffeur our children to their activities, to visit our friends and family members, or merely to get away for relaxation or vacation.

And the good news is that modern technology has offered people with physical impairments, who might not believe they can navigate a car safely, the opportunity to remain independent and mobile. Almost every automobile manufacturer, as well as a vast number of after-market product suppliers, has created a wide variety of automobile adaptations that can place almost every impaired, disabled, or mobility-challenged adult behind the wheel and on the road.

For example, pedal adaptations are available for individuals who have lost the use of their right leg and cannot utilize the standard accelerator. Left foot accelerators can be fitted to the left of the brake so that accelerating with the left foot becomes possible. For individuals who cannot reach the pedals at all when driving, pedal extenders can bring them closer to the driving seat.

For individuals who have lost the use of both legs, there are many ways in which a car’s traditional pedal functions – braking and accelerating – can be accomplished with hand controls. Push-pull hand controls allow the driver to operate the brake and accelerator functions by pushing and pulling a lever. There are various hand controls available from most manufacturers and suppliers, but the basic function is the same across most models. They range from more basic mechanical push/pull systems to electronic or air compression systems. Most can be fitted with “cutting” devices which automatically cut the accelerator when the brake is applied. And some can even be mounted on different locations inside the car. Some variations of the electronic hand control system include:

• The Trigger Accelerator – With a trigger accelerator you pull with your finger to accelerate, and push away to brake.
• The Over Ring Accelerator – The over ring accelerator is fitted in front of the steering wheel. You push it down toward the steering wheel to accelerate.
• The Under Ring Accelerator – The under ring accelerator is fitted behind the steering wheel. You pull it towards the steering wheel to accelerate.
• The Ghost Ring Accelerator – The ghost ring accelerator is fitted behind the steering wheel. You control the speed by using your fingers in side to side movements.
• The Twist Grip Accelerator – The twist grip accelerator is comparable to the hand grip accelerator on a motorbike. You twist it to accelerate and push it forward to operate the brake.

The bottom line is this: there is absolutely no reason for a disabled, but otherwise competent, adult to believe that he or she cannot safely operate an automobile. Here at Pacific Mobility, we can help you choose the most appropriate driving adaptation to meet your needs. Call or visit us today and allow our mobility experts to get you into the driver’s seat.

Swimming Pool Lifts

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pool lift

Swimming is great exercise as well a great way to relax. And spending time in a swimming pool can be very therapeutic for most people. However, for individuals with certain disabilities or mobility challenges, getting in and out of a pool can be very difficult, or even impossible without some type of aid. Fortunately, over the years, there have been many in almost any situation.

Basically, a pool lift is any mechanized seat with the ability to lower and raise a disabled or injured person into and out of a swimming pool. Pool lifts can either be permanent or portable. Permanent pool lifts can be installed on the edge of a pool, or onto an anchor embedded in the pool deck, while portable lifts, which usually have wheel attachments, can be placed anywhere around the pool, and then put in storage when not in use.

As with any type of product, different types of pool lifts have their own advantages and disadvantages. For example, permanent pool lifts are preferable in instances where the individuals needing them are heavier than normal, but, unlike portable lifts, they are always open to the elements.

The first commercially successful water-powered, swimming pool lift hit the market around 1980. By 1997, manufacturers had perfected a battery-powered, free-standing pool lift that was designed to work with more contemporary swimming pool designs. All types of patient lift systems, including pool lifts, are regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and must meet certain standards in their design and manufacture.

Swimming pool lifts can be categorized as follows: • Non –cantilevered lifts have seats that are attached to and rotate around an anchor point. Most early lifts were of this type as they are limited to simple pool designs that feature either no gutter of recessed gutters. They are fairly inexpensive and easy to operate, but they must be fixed in place to a deck or anchor and connected to a water supply to power them.
• Cantilevered lifts are designed to allow the seat to extend out from the anchor point. They can be fixed, anchored or free standing. Cantilevered lifts provide access to a greater number of pool designs, including rim-flow gutters, roll out gutters, or any type of design where there is a substantial horizontal distance from the loading point to the water. They are further categorized as non-rotational and rotational: o Non-rotational cantilevered lifts extend the seat directly out from the loading point.
o Rotational cantilevered lifts have the added ability to raise and rotate the seat position over the pool deck and extend it over any obstacle in the path to the water. This type of lift provides the greatest versatility of any of the different designs. They can be anchored or free standing, with free standing models generally the most expensive.

Pool lifts in public pools are regulated by the American with Disabilities Act, and as such, cannot be manually operated, as the law requires that they be capable of unassisted operation. However, manually operated pool lifts can be used in a residential setting.

Pacific Mobility has many pool lift options to choose from. We invite you to talk to one of our professional staff members who will help you determine what kind of pool lift best suits your needs and budget. Call us today for a free consultation.

Help I’ve Fallen and I Can’t Get Up.

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I've fallen

The catchphrase “Help, “I’ve fallen, and I can’t get up!” was made famous many years ago in a television commercial for a medical alarm company called LifeCall. LifeCall sold pendants that seniors and disabled individuals could wear around their necks and use to make emergency medical calls after a fall or other accident left them immobile and unable to reach a telephone.

Although the commercial portrayed a potentially dangerous situation for a senior, and one that could have dire consequences, the phrase found its way into the popular culture as a comedic punch line, undercutting the serious nature of the circumstances that lead to 35 million falls each year by Americans over the age of 65.

In fact, seniors in this country are hospitalized for fall-related injuries five times more than they are for injuries from all other causes. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) lists falls as the leading cause of accidental death for seniors. And considering that one half of all people who fall require assistance from someone else to get up, it’s no wonder that a senior living alone has the odds stacked against him or her.

The New England Journal of Medicine reports that after a fall or other emergency, 90 percent of people who get help within one hour can continue to live independently, but after 12 hours without any help, 90 percent are no longer capable of living alone at home. According to the Yale University School of Medicine, nearly one half of the older adults who incur a serious injury never fully recover and many lose their ability to function independently for the rest of their lives.

While fragile seniors run a very high risk of falling due to the degeneration of muscle strength and loss of balance over the years, anyone of any age can become the victim of a heart attack. And if someone who suffers from cardiac arrest falls and cannot get help, or get to a hospital within an hour or so, their chances for survival are greatly diminished. Each year, 1.5 million Americans have heart attacks; one third of them are fatal.

At Pacific Mobility, we sell products that help seniors and others get the help they need if they’ve fallen and can’t get up, or are faced with any other urgent situation, such as a fire, a home intrusion, or a CO gas emergency. Getting assistance in a timely manner can make a major difference in preserving one’s quality of life; indeed, personal 911 call systems can help save a life, or the life of a loved one.

Call or visit us today and let us show you our full line of personal call systems. The truth is, there’s nothing funny about somebody who falls and can’t get up.

Hand Rail Systems Can Make the Home More Safe

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grab rail

While many seniors prefer to live in their homes for as long as possible, most homes are not designed for maximum safety. As people age, their balance, stability and muscle strength tend to wane. This diminishing vitality, coupled with a concomitant decrease in visual acuity, is the cause of many home accidents. Indeed, falls are the number one cause of injury among seniors, responsible for almost three million emergency room visits and more than 25,000 deaths in Canada and the U.S., annually.

One type of home modification that can help make the home safer is a handrail system. There are three major reasons to install handrails:
• To support walking
• To support overall mobility
• To prevent falls

It is important to understand that railings and banisters are not handrails and should not be confused with them. Railings and banisters may provide some support, but they are generally not strong enough to prevent a fall should a person grab onto it in extremis. A true handrail must withstand at least 500 pounds of force.

In addition, according to the Americans with Disabilities Act, a handrail needs to be:
• 1¼” – 2″ in diameter
• Round (or equivalent)
• 1½” minimum from the wall
• At least 1½” above any horizontal protrusion
• Continuous on and between stairs, ramps, landings and horizontal extensions at the tops and bottoms of slopes

Handrails can be installed in many different areas of a house. For example, a handrail can be installed on the wall above the bath tub; in a shower or just outside it; next to a sink or toilet; alongside a bed; on a staircase; in a kitchen or work space, or anywhere else where a senior or anyone else who is mobility challenged, requires or desires one. Usually, they are made of metal, such as aluminum, but they can also be made of wood or heavy plastic.

More important than the actual handrail material is the strength of the bracket that attaches it to the wall.Therefore, it is highly advisable that handrail systems be installed by professionals using the appropriate fasteners and fixtures. Do-it-yourself installations may also be available, but instructions must be followed carefully when putting them up. Also, there may be cases where handrails would impede movement or create risks for the elderly if they are installed in an inappropriate location.

At Pacific Mobility, we can assist you in planning the best and most appropriate type of handrail system for your home. Our experienced staff can also install your handrails, providing you the best in safety and reliability.

Knee Walker vs. Crutches – Pros and Cons

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Knee Walker

If you had to choose between using a knee walker versus using crutches after recovering from a broken ankle, foot surgery, or any other operation or injury, you might wish you had the option to choose neither. After all, any assistive mobility device is going to be something that you’re going to have to learn to control and maneuver, not to mention drag around. Of course, choosing neither is an option if you have the time and ability to stay completely off your feet for an extended period of time. However, most people want and need to be able to get around, and the thought of being totally immobilized until well enough to walk unassisted is far from a pleasant thought.

And so, these two devices are really your best choices. Let’s consider their pros and cons:

• Crutches – the Pros: If you have decent upper body strength and mobility, you can usually walk faster with crutches, once you’ve figured out how to use them. Also, walking with crutches will certainly take some work, and there’s nothing wrong with getting some exercise when recuperating from an operation or injury. Also, crutches are fairly inexpensive. You can even rent them from a medical supplier.

• Crutches – the Cons: Crutches can be difficult to maneuver. And because all your weight must be carried on your armpits, you certainly risk irritating them – not to mention the wear and tear on your shoulders, wrists and lower back. Many people with injured legs find crutches too unsteady and unsafe for their use. Also, when your arms and hands are occupied clutching your crutches, you will have more difficulty in using them to open doors, pick things up, etc. Stairs can be particularly difficult to navigate with crutches, especially at the beginning. Finally, crutches are clunky items that are constantly falling over and don’t always fit through doorways, car doors, etc.

• Knee Walkers – the Pros: Knee walkers, because they are low to the floor are generally more stable than crutches. They are cushioned for comfort with space to let you rest a cast or injured leg, without having to put your weight on it. You can zoom around pretty quickly, once you get the steering figured out, and once you stop, you have both hands free. They are fairly simple to use and don’t require any upper body strength. They are less clunky than crutches and the possibility of slipping on slick or wet surfaces is diminished.

• Knee Walkers – the Cons: Knee walkers can be unstable if you lean back or forward too far or too much to one side. Also, they take a while to learn how to go straight. They are slower going than crutches on many surfaces. You cannot go up or down stairs on a knee walker, and if the front wheel base is too wide, you may not be able to go through narrow doorways or halls. Knee walkers are more expensive than crutches.

At Pacific Mobility, we can help you choose the best option for your post-operative or post-injury recovery. We will only sell you what you need, and within your budget, to help you get back on your feet in the quickest time possible. Call us today for a free consultation.