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The following excerpt is taken from Chapter 7 of Life on Wheels: For the Active Wheelchair User , by Gary Karp, copyright 1999, published by O'Reilly & Associates, Inc. To order, or get more information about Gary's book, call (800) 998-9938. Permission is granted to print and distribute this excerpt for noncommercial use as long as the above source is included. The information in this article is meant to educate and should not be used as an alternative for professional medical care . The bathroom is often the space that is the greatest challenge to make accessible. In a 1993 U.S. Census Bureau report , 4.5 million people with disabilities reported having difficulty bathing, and 2.1 million had trouble using the toilet. Millions of people are inconvenienced--even endangered--by inaccessible bathrooms. Any impediment to easy access to the bathroom can lead someone to delay their bowel or bladder program. A bathroom that is easy to use protects your health ( see Figure 1 (cli...

FAIRBANKS — Many older people want to stay in the house they built or raised their kids in as long as they can. Yet, in Alaska it can be difficult to find housing stocked with the types of modifications needed for elders, such as wide doors and hallways, low doorway thresholds , deep stair treads and ramps for walkers or wheelchairs. In the past, many older Alaskans would move to the Lower 48 after retiring to find more accessible homes and communities. The Alaska Commission on Aging said that Alaska has one of the fastest growing populations of seniors in the country and more of them are now wanting to stay in the state. Older Alaskans need to know what to do in the event of a natural disaster. Hong Kong recently surveyed elderly residents to see how prepared they were. According to a 2012 study in “Geriatrics and Gerontology International,” less than a quarter of elderly people in Hong Kong were prepared to deal with a natural disaster, even though almost nine...

Seniors who want to age in place should consider remodeling their bathrooms so that they better accommodate their needs. Below are some ideas to keep in mind when planning a remodeling project. 1.   Include a Bathroom on the Main Floor If possible, place a bathroom on the same floor as the main living area . A bathroom located where the senior spends most of their time means they can avoid using the stairs. It’s a tall order for many homes, but can make a world of difference for older adults with declining mobility. 2. Provide Adequate Floor Space The bathroom should be large enough to accommodate someone using a cane, a walker or even a wheelchair to get around. Someone who uses a wheelchair will require the most space—at least around 60 inches of open floor space to turn around. Doorways should be at least 32 inches wide so that a wheelchair can get through. Some chairs may require 36-inch-wide openings. 3.   Make Tubs and Showers Accessible For some seniors, standard bathtubs are d...

Regeneration, relaxation and unwinding are all part of the unique bathing experience of a luxury steam shower . Discerning European consumers have already discovered the many advantages of a luxury steam shower – happily, their enthusiasm for this fashionable and functional product means that it is now easier than ever before for those living in the U.S. and Canada to install steam showers in their own homes. Steam showers may well be trendy – but their countless benefits mean that they will transcend trends to become an integral part of your daily routine. The latest technologies have made bathroom fixtures from high-end manufacturers more available for those who wish to invest in a higher quality of living. Steam therapy is proven to contribute positively to diverse aspects of good physical health , and the wonderful added bonuses of colour therapy, music therapy and aromatherapy cannot fail to enhance your overall sense of well-being. Imagine the sensation of a steam shower w...

More than one in three seniors over age 65 fall each year, and the National Institute on Aging (NIA) says 80 percent of these falls are in the bathroom. Due to the multitude of unforgiving and slippery surfaces, bathrooms are very hazardous for the home.  Preventing Senior Falls in Bathrooms Knowing how to get in and out of tubs and showers properly and equipping homes with necessary safety precautions can reduce senior falls , keep them out of the emergency room and possibly extend their life.  Preventing Senior Falls in Bathrooms According to research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1. 6 million older adults seek emergency care each year for fall-related injuries, fractures or head trauma. In addition to potentially losing their independence, seniors 65 years old and up have a 25 percent chance of dying within six months to a year if they fall and break a hip. Seniors are vulnerable to falls for many reasons — eyesight and reflexes aren’t as razor-sharp as t...

PRO2 Medical Equipment is helping the elderly to stay in their own home and avoid moving into a care home with their new Bath and Shower Safety Products Each year millions of senior people struggle to live in their own home, and with the rising cost of assisted living accommodation , and skilled nursing home facilities , many loved ones are unable to pay for their mom or dad to receive the care they need. To help make it easier for families to look after their parents, PRO2 Medical has launched a range of Bath and Shower Safety products .   The PRO2 Medical Bath and Safety products (pro2medical.com/collections/bath-shower) help make the bathroom a safer and accessible environment. With the range of products available, those that look after their parent or parents will find it much easier to deal with their bathing or toilet needs. A spokesman for PRO2 Medical Equipment said: “We have a lot of different products available, all with affordable prices. These products can help senior ...

The Different Types of Steam Shower Bath Available Today Steam Shower Baths were in the past regarded as luxury, which could never be afforded by anyone and everyone. However technological advancements brought along with them affordability from the steam shower bath . Today they are available at reasonable prices in almost all components of the whole world. While they are accessible in a lot of public places like luxurious hotels, clubs and gyms; a lot of individuals are actually getting these built in the confines of their homes. This clearly shows the magnitude of all of the popularity of steam shower baths . Steam Shower baths are no longer just a private affair. In fact, steam shower baths have become a typical social affair for many people. Plenty of people, especially women like to catch u with their friends and dear ones for a sauna or a steam bath shower . Chatting and gossiping is a common sighting at many such facilities on a normal basis. You're able to discover muc...

Bill and Louri Larash's decision to downsize a little more than a year ago was not a rash one – but it happened quickly. The couple, who married Aug. 11, 1984, raised their two daughters in a four bedroom home on Plum Creek in the Arden on the Severn community of Crownsville. It was encircled with lush gardens of Louri's design.　 Their daughter Danielle, an architect, married Mike Peters . Cosette, now 25, spent a year on a tropical island and was moving back home . She missed four seasons. "We used to keep our powerboat and Captain Two , our sailboat, at a pier in Eastport," said Louri, explaining her familiarity with the waterfront areas around Annapolis. "We didn't need a big house anymore ." Bill is a partner with West Street-based accounting firm Novotny Larash & Venters PA.　 Louri, a horticulturalist and landscape designer, owns L&M Residential Services. A Crofton native, Louri met Bill , who grew up in College Park, at their college: Unive...

How Many of These 20 Pioneering Female Inventors Did You Know? Around the world and across history, innovative women have imagined, developed, tested, and perfected their creations, and yet most of us would be hard pressed to name even a single woman inventor . In fact, women inventors are behind many of the products and technologies used every day! From life rafts to disposable diapers to rocket fuel, women have invented amazing things — but they're also responsible for some of the things we use for day to day life. In fact, if you use GPS on your cell phone, turn on windshield wipers when you drive in the rain, or eat a chocolate chip cookie , you can thank the woman behind them! In honor of the remarkable women whose breakthroughs have advanced technology and the ease of our day to day lives, we're sharing the stories of twenty ingenious women whose inventions have changed the world. Whether they were scribbling designs two centuries ago or are still working today, these ...