Conditions - My Therapy Hub

Dementia: Six ways to improve safety in the bedroom

Living with dementia can be stressful and exhausting. So a good night’s sleep is essential for those with dementia and their carer.

How to put grab rails in the home

Conditions, For Carers

Check for recommended guidelines within your country which outline heights, angles and positioning in relation to grab rails within the home. Every country usually has its own set of standards. If you are unsure you can contact your Occupational Therapist to get information on the standards (link how to contact an OT). Some examples of guidelines include: 1) The general recommended diameter of a grab rail is between 3 and 5cm 2) If a grab bar is horizontally mounted it should have a wall clearance of 4.5cm (Canada) or 6cm (Australia) to ensure the person will not catch their arm in...

Preventing falls at home checklist

Conditions

1. Have an eye test Problems with eyesight can increase the risk of having a fall. Therefore it is really important to have regular eye checks and make sure you always have the correct glasses on. Keeping them clean is also a priority! If you wear bifocals (one lense which corrects far and near distance) it is beneficial to wear single-focus glasses when walking to prevent the change in focus occurring while on the move. Talk to your optician about this and what options are available to you. If walking outside make sure you take some extra time for...

Environmental changes to prevent falls

Conditions, Make my house safe

1) Improve lighting by turning on lights, having plug in night-lights along hallways and keeping a lamp beside your bed. 2) Remove trip hazards like rugs, mats, loose cables or leads and clutter and use colour contrast tape around steps or raised doorways to easily see the edges of steps 3) Prevent slipping on wet tiles, steps or floors by using a non-slip floor mat or non slip floor tape from the hardware store 4) Place furniture so that there is plenty of space to walk around and so you don’t have to stretch too far to open windows...

Where do I get grab rails?

Conditions

Grab bars or grab rails are easily found in any of the following: Hardware or Home Improvement stores Medical supply stores The household section of some department stores Some Pharmacies Funding, Services and Installation: Depending on your country or local area there are a few methods of completing home modifications. Sometimes the health centre will fund the modifications but there is usually a long waiting list which is why some people opt to install the grab rails themselves. It is recommended that you consult your local health centre and ask to speak to an Occupational Therapist about the best...